Kenya is widely regarded as the home of many of the world's fastest marathon runners, and therefore the contingent to represent the country in Beijing at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games has to be rated as favorites for gold in both the Men and Women races. However, history has never favored Kenya in the Olympic Marathon.
Achievements to Date
The best result since 1956, when Kenya made her debut at the Olympic Games were Silver medals by Douglas Wakiihuri in the 1988 Seoul Olympics; Eric Wainaina in Sydney in 2000 and Catherine Ndereba in Athens in 2004. Others have been bronze medals in 1996 by Eric Wainaina and Joyce Chepchumba in Sydney Games in 2000.
Despite the weight of history, Kenya's six entrants, are a formidable lot with at least four considered the best in the world at their specialty. The men's line-up includes 2007 New York Marathon and 2007 & 2008 London Marathon Champion Martin Lel.
Lel is a formidable runner and will be well supported by Sammy Wanjiru, who might be the surprise weapon at the Games. He is an incredible young talent, who already holds the half-marathon world-record and ran 2:06 in his debut and then broke 2:06 in his second marathon at London just a few months later.
Haile Gebreselassie Opts Out
And finally, Robert Cheruiyot who won the Boston Marathon in 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008, setting a course record 2:07:14 in 2006. These are names that would put fear in any opponent including the legendary distance runner and world record holder Haile Gebreselassie from Ethiopia. Fortunately, the 35-year-old Gebreselassie who holds the world marathon record of 2 hours 4 minutes 26 seconds decided against running the road race because of the poor air quality expected in Beijing so as to concentrate on 10,000m.
The women's side includes the incredible and God fearing Catherine Ndereba, often known as Catherine the Great. Ndereba holds the distinction of holding the only top five fastest times in marathon history that are not held by Paula Radcliffe. Her fourth fastest time in history (2:18:47) was a world record when she ran it in 2001 and makes her the only other woman in history to have broken 2:19:00 in the marathon. So with Radcliffe not having raced of late, Catherine, who is the defending 2007 World Athletics Champion in Marathon, may finally clinch that elusive Gold for Kenya at the Olympic Games.
The other female runners are not well known, but who knew Douglas Wakiihuri when he won Gold in the 3rd edition of the World Athletics Championships in 1987? Big Games have a history of throwing up new talent and it is a momentous time for Martha Komu and Salina Kosgei to prove that they are not just making up the numbers. Of note is the fact that Salina Kosgei finished fourth in London in 2007.
Formidable Force
Kenya will be a formidable force in the games, especially without world record holder Haile Gebreselassie in the mix. It is time for Kenyan Marathon runners who have dominated city marathons across the globe earning themselves plenty of money to demonstrate that they too can win gold for their country.
Whereas Martin Lel and Robert Cheruiyot, who have shown they can win strategically difficult races like New York, London and Boston, might be considered favorites, Sammy Wanjiru could emerge the surprise hero given his under dog status and hunger to win his first Marathon race.
