Double world record holder Faith Kipyegon will be chasing history at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with the main focus being to win the 1500m for the third time and the 5000m for the first time.
Kipyegon was unsure about doubling at the global bonanza but after opening her season at the Kenyan Olympic trials with striking wins in both distances, she became more confident about doubling.
The double world champion struck majestic wins in the 1500m and 5000m and she promised to go and fight for both titles at the Olympics. She is aware that it will not be an easy outing but she hopes that her hard work and patience will work wonders for her.
“It will be history to win the 1500m for the third time and you know, to focus on the 5000m. I know it’s not easy but I’ll be going to try and see what will be possible,” she said.
“It’s not smooth sailing and you have to work hard and stay patient, those are the two most important things. I know being patient and training hard will get me where I want to be.”
In the 5000m, Kipyegon will enjoy the company of newly-crowned world 10,000m record holder Beatrice Chebet and Margaret Chelimo, who is yet to attain the qualifying time for the Games.
In the 1500m, the 30-year-old will be joined by Nelly Chepchirchir and US-based star Lilian Ejore in the hunt for glory. Kipyegon now goes back to training to sharpen her talons ahead of the global bonanza.
She had been off to a worrying start to her season, where she was forced to withdraw from the Diamond League Meeting in Xiamen and the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, due to an injury setback but she confirmed to be back on track at the Nyayo National Stadium over the weekend.
World Record holder Tobi Amusan will headline a highly competitive 40 Nigerian athletes to the African Championships in Cameroon slated from June 21st – 26th.
Amusan, who just made history at the Nigeria Olympic trials by becoming the first female hurdler to win four consecutive national titles, will be heading to Cameroon to achieve the same feat by aiming for a hat-trick of 100mH titles after winning in 2018 and 2022.
If successful, the track icon will become the third Nigerian hurdler to win the event consecutively after Maria Usifo and Glory Alozie.
Others listed in the men’s event are Usheoritse Itsekiri and Godson Brume, while the women’s category has Tima Godbless, Rosemary Chukwuma, Justina Eyakpobeyan, and Olayinka Olajide.
African Games champion Chidi Okezie and veteran Patience Okon lead the 400m, and others on the list are national champions Dubem Amene and Esther Elo Joseph, NCAA standouts Samuel Ogazi and Ella Onojuvwevwo, as well as Ifeanyi Ojeli.
Ese Brume tops the list in the field events, and she’ll be seeking to reclaim her long jump title. New sensation Prestinal Ochonogor who won the national title in a massive Personal Best (PB) of 6.72m will hope to cause an upset and perhaps hit the Paris Olympic qualifying standard.