Kenyans eye medals as the 20th World Athletics U 20 Championships starts in Peru

Mercy Chepkemoi, Sheila Jebet, Andrew Kiptoo, and Ishmael Kipkurui will start Kenya’s medal hunt on the first day of the 20th World Athletics under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, tonight.

Bragging of  national titles in 3,000m and 5,000m, Mercy Chepkemoi will partner with Sheila Jebet in the 5,000m final from 1:25am.

It will be followed by the men’s final 30 minutes later, where World Cross Country junior champion Ismael Kipkurui Rokitto and Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi will carry the Kenyan flag.

Diana Chepkemoi and Sharon Chepkemoi will also compete in the 3,000 msc women’s  heats ,the only other Kenyan event of the evening.

The morning session, which gets underway at 5:00pm Kenyan time today, will see Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech and Kelvin Kimutai Koech battle in round 1 of the 800m from 8pm, before paving the way for women’s round 1 involving reigning African champion Sarah Moraa and Janet Jepkemoi from 8:55pm.

Team Kenya, which consists of 21 athletes—11 men and 10 women—will seek a better finish than the 2022 edition, where it finished 4th overall with 10 medals, 3 golds, 3 silvers, and 4 bronze medals.

1,700 athletes from over 130 countries are competing in the 5-day championships, which will conclude this Saturday.

source