Last August, World Athletics announced that athletes would use a mile time to qualify in the 1500m. This saw men and women run 3:51.00 and 4:22.00 respectively. Athletes would also qualify for 5,000m and 10,000m based on their road race times in the 5km, and 10km to qualify for World Championships.For instance, in 2022, the World Championship standards in the 5,000m and 10,000m were 13:13.50 and 27:28.00 for men and 15:10.00 and 31:25.00 for women respectively. In 2023 however, athletes are in all smiles after the qualification marks were lowered to 13:07.00 (5,000m) and 27:10.00 (10,000m) for men and 14:57.00 (5,000m) and 30:40.00 (10,000m) for women.The qualifying window for most events for the 2023 World Championships events runs from July 31, 2022, and still runs until July 30, 2023. A number of Kenyan top athletes on the team to Budapest are however still chasing the qualifying standard times just days to the closing date.An example is Simon Koech will be chasing the 3,000m steeplechase qualifying time just as Wycliffe Kinyamal, Kennedy Kimeu, Zablon Kimeu and Kelvin Sawe who are hoping to meet the 4x400m standard. High-flying Faith Kipyegon easily qualifies Njeru and Kipngeno retain mountain running titles in FranceRecord breaker Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon easily set the bar high in the 1,500m and 5,000m qualifying standards when she shattered the world records in the two events within one week on June 2 and June 9 respectively.The double Olympic and world champion has the fastest time of 3:49.11 in 1,500m and 14:05.20 in 5,000m against the qualifying marks of 4:03.50 (1,500m) and 14:57.00 (5,000m).She added another feather to her already decorated cabinet on Thursday night during the Monaco Diamond League after breaking the one-mile record in a ridiculous time of 4:07:64.Even without the words records count, Kipyegon had already secured qualifying as the defending champion over 1500m and also as the Diamond League Trophy winner.The Stargirl who is open to chasing double glory in Budapest will be in hunt of her first 5,000m world title, in addition to a third world title in her specialty; 1500m.She clocked 14:53.90 at the trials, recording a time within the standards.Omanyala ticks the boxesAfrica’s fastest man and 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala has had a wonderful season, and in the process of making headlines, he became a World championship material in the short race.The Commonwealth champion ran under the 10.00 qualifying mark in a number of meets in both local and international contests.For instance, at the national Championships in June, Omanyala ran under 9.96 at Nyayo National Stadium before lowering the time to 9.85 at the Budapest World Championships trials.He had sprinted 9.84 at the Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour in Nairobi before a 9.98 dash at the Paris Diamond League where he came in second.He however reclaimed his rightful place during the Monaco Diamond League on Thursday night after storming to victory in 9:92 seconds at the Stade Louis II Stadium in Monaco.Lilian Kasait’s and Margaret Chelimo’s hard-earned success London DL: Magnificent Chepkoech triumphs as Chebet is outdone by TsegayDespite the strong contingent at the Paris Diamond League meet, former World Under-18 3000m champion Lilian Kasait and world silver medalist Margaret Chelimo impressed by running under 14:57.00 which is within the World Championships qualifying standard.##NAJAVA_MECA_7383909##Kasait timed 14:23.05 to book a fourth place at the Paris meeting as Chelimo finished sixth position in 14:23.67 in the race won by Faith Kipyegon. Ethiopian big shots Letesnbet Gidey and Ejgayehu Taye finished second and third.Mary Moraa shines to the markWorld bronze medalist and Commonwealth champion Mary Moraa was within the 1:59.80 qualifying mark as she entertained the world with her signature dances at the finish line this season.Moraa smashed the meeting record at the Silesia Diamond League on Sunday, July 16, stopping the timer at 1:56.85.She posted impressive performances at the Lausanne and Rabat Diamond Leagues, timing 1:57.43 and 1:58.72 respectively.Youngster Emmanuel Wanyonyi itching for gloryFormer World Under-20 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi who is coached by former World 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei started the track and field season with a bang.The 18-year-old ran a world lead of 1:43.32 at the Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour in late May and capped it with another win at the Rabat Diamond League. He lowered the world lead at the Paris Diamond League on June 9 after racing under 1:43:27.All his times this season were within the 1:44.70 qualifying standards for the Budapest showpiece.Alex Kipngetich a force to be reckoned withFormer African Under-20 champion Alex Ngeno Kipngetich, who will be competing in 800m alongside Wanyonyi and world champion Emmanuel Korir made the standards during the national trials. He ran 1:44.21 while booking his ticket to Budapest.Kipngetich ran 1:45 at the Kenya Prisons Track and Field Championships in May before going back to the drawing, returning to under 1:44.70.Men’s 5,000m and 10,000mWorld silver medallist Jacob Krop and Commonwealth silver medallist Daniel Simiu Ebenyo had already met the 13:07.00 5,000m standard by September last year when they competed at the Memorial van Damme, Boudewijnstadion, Brussels Diamond League in Belgium.Krop and Simiu ran 12:45.71 and 12:54.90 respectively at the Diamond League meet. They took the top two places at the trials.Olympian Nicholas Kimeli met the 10,000m qualification standards through road racing where ran under 26:51 at the Brasov 10km last September.Benard Kibet hit the 27:10.00 World Athletics standard mark when he finished second at the 299th Nippon Sport Science University Long Distance Competition in Yokohama, Japan in 26:55.04.
