Kenya coach Kirwa impressed by the performance at Doha
Kenya athletics coach Julius Kirwa says he is pleased with the results from the just-concluded IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Kirwa told People Sport the athletes surpassed expectations given that they only had five days to training for the championships.
Kenya finished in a similar second in London by winning 11 medals; five gold, two silver and four bronze to finish second behind the USA in the overall medal standings.
“We went to fight and found our opponents had prepared well for the battle, given the circumstances, I am very pleased with the athletes in all fields.
“Despite having little time in Doha, the athletes were very cooperative, we needed to adjust the training programme and sometimes we had to train as early as 3am and as late as 8pm.
My task was mainly to help the athletes with conditioning, which went well. I am particularly pleased with Faith Chepngétich, who despite sustaining an injury, managed to get us silver. That is my hero from the games,” said Kirwa.
On the future of men’s middle distance races especially the 800m and the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, Kirwa thinks Kenya needs to go back to the drawing board.
“With 3,000m steeplechase, I don’t have worries because we have many upcoming athletes, who need to be nurtured and polished.
My worry is the 800m where we don’t really have athletes and where AK needs to work on before the 2021 championships,” he said.
While Kenya might have missed gold in the long distances, Kirwa is not worried because he contends with the upcoming athletes especially in 10,000m.
