- Athletics Kenya will use the Prefontaine Classic 2025 to select the 5,000m women’s and 10,000m men’s teams for the Tokyo world athletics championships set to be held in Japan in September.
- Some of the athletes who will fight for the Tokyo world championships tickets at the Prefontaine Classic 2025 are Beatrice Chebet, Agnes Jebet Ngetich and Stanley Waithaka Mburu.
- AK executive member Barnabas Korir divulged that the team will depart for the Prefontaine Classic in the coming hours.
Athletics Kenya (AK) has named strong 5,000m women’s and 10,000m men’s teams set to battle it out for the coveted tickets to the world championships at the Prefontaine Classic 2025 on Saturday, July 5.
The star-studded team, which is expected to depart to the Prefontaine Classic tonight, is made up of both experienced and upcoming runners as well as world record holders.
Beatrice Chebet, who set the current 10,000m world record of 28:54.14 at the Prefontaine Classic, headlines the women’s squad.
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Some of the other big names in that team include the reigning 10K road race world record holder Agnes Ngetich, Hellen Ekalale and Janeth Chepngetich.
Moreover, the likes of Caroline Kariba, Caroline Nyaga, Margaret Akidor, and Maurine Jepkoech have also made it to the squad.
These stars will lock horns with a strong Ethiopian contingent led by the current 5,000m world record holder Gudaf Tsegay at the event which is also known as the Eugene Diamond League.
Tsigie Gebreselama, Birke Haylom, Hiruth Meshesha, Likina Amebaw, Marta Alemayo, Medina Eisa, Fotyen Tesfay and Yenawa Nibret are among the other Ethiopian runners set to give the Kenyans a run for their money at the Hayward Field.
Stanley Waithaka headlines Kenya’s 10,000m team to Prefontaine Classic 2025
Similar to the 5,000m women’s team, AK has also picked a strong 10,000m men’s team to the Prefontaine Classic 2025.
These stars include 2022 Oregon world championships medalist Stanley Waithaka Mburu and Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli.
Edwin Kurgat, Samwel Chebolei and Mathew Kipsang Kipchumba will also be part of the contingent that will travel to the Prefontaine Classic 2025.
Barnabas Korir explains the selection process for Kenya’s team to Prefontaine Classic 2025
AK executive member Barnabas Korir, who also serves as the director for youth development, has stated that they have given a chance to the deserved runners.
“The main determinant was of course, those who have made the standards, especially for 10,000m for men. So, we chose that, and then, those who have not met the standards were also given the opportunity to go and run.
The choice was because of their performances. This is done professionally, so that nobody is left out,” he explained.
The best performers in the two disciplines at the Prefontaine Classic 2025 will book a ticket to the Tokyo World Athletics Championships that is scheduled to take place between September 13 and September 21 in Japan.
Although the reigning 5,000m women’s world champion Faith Kipyegon has not been named in AK’s squad for the Prefontaine Classic 2025, she is expected to defend her title in Tokyo since she has among runners likely to get wild cards.
Besides the battle for a spot to the Tokyo world championships, several other Kenyan athletes will be in action in the eagerly awaited Prefontaine Classic 2025.
Mary Moraa will feature in the 8,00m while Susan Ejore and Kipyegon will compete in the 1,500m race.
Kenya’s 5,000m women’s team for the Prefontaine Classic 2025
- Beatrice Chebet
- Agnes Jebet Ngetich
- Caroline Nyaga
- Margaret Akidor
- Maurine Jepkoech
- Janeth Chepngetich
- Sarah Wanjiru
- Caroline Kariba
- Hellen Ekalale
Kenya’s 10,000m men’s team for the Prefontaine Classic 2025
- Richard Etir
- Nicholas Kipkorir
- Ishmael Kipkurui
- Benson Kiplangat
- Stanley Waithaka Mburu
- Mathew Kipsang
- Matthew Kipkoech
- Edwin Kurgat
- Gideon Rono
- Samwel Chebolei
- Vincent Langat
- Robert Koech