Habari za Wiki - 20 July, 2021
From The Enda Community
Daniel Gekara popped on his Kambu Lapatets for a tempo run the other day, going 3:30 KM pace (5:38 per mile) for 15km (9.3 miles). What a run!
From Us At Enda
We’ve been teasing it. Now the moment has come: feast your eyes on the updated Lapatet. They’re coming next week.
We’ve totally reworked the upper to make it more comfortable, lighter, and more accommodating in the forefoot. The new booty-knit provides a true sock-like fit, while still giving you a secure lockdown with an integrated saddle in the sidewall of the midfoot. Overall, the result is a dramatically more comfortable shoe we’re sure you’ll love for your easy runs or even a walk around town.
It will be coming in a range of new colorways inspired by some of the birds of Kenya, starting with the Somali ostrich. We can’t wait to get them to you!
If you’re wondering about Itens: we’ve been working long and hard on updates for them too. We’re looking forward to getting you an updated version in the coming months.
The Running News
Timothy Cheruiyot Is In!
After coming 4th in national trials, the reigning world champion was left out of the squad heading to Tokyo. Since then, Cheruiyot has been tearing it up in the Diamond League, proving he is still the best and the world at the 1500m.
Kamar Etyang, who came second in the trials, hasn’t had the required number of out of competition tests to be allowed to compete. So he had to be dropped from the team, and Cheruiyot was able to pick up the spot. With the form we’ve seen him in, we know he’s ready for a medal.
Etyang’s predicament is quite similar to Daniel Simiyu’s back in 2019. Simiyu was new to the scene, and so hadn’t been in the pool of athletes being tested and had to miss the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in 2019.
Race Walking Scandal
Samuel Gathimba and Emily Ngii were meant to be representing Kenya, but have been left off the team going to the games. The explanation from Team Kenya initially was that Gathimba and Ngii didn’t achieve the qualification standard of being in the top 60 in their events.
However, the standard most commonly used is the qualifying time standard, which Ngii and Gathimba both successfully achieved at the national trials. And here’s the most frustrating part: their times at trials won’t count as there wasn’t an outside World Athletics official present to certify them. It’s a massive failure on the part of the trials, and a painful result for two athletes who are now missing their moment in the sun.
Marathon Season Shaping Up
With 2020 races canceled, and marathons from the first half of 2021 bumped until the later part of the year, we’re looking at a super condensed calendar, including 4 majors in 3 weeks:
26 Sept - Berlin
3 October - London
10 October - Chicago
11 October - Boston
Most of the races have been a bit quiet on who all will be there, but Boston just announced part of their field: 2017 champions Geoffrey Kirui and Edna Kiplagat, along with 2015 winner Caroline Rotich.
In the meantime, highlighting global vaccine inequity, the Nairobi Stanchart Marathon will still be held virtually this year. The signature annual sporting and mostly social event will take on a hybrid format. Meaning, while there will be in-person participation of select elite runners from Kenya and internationally, and a virtual race for everyone else. The dates for the virtual race are between 25 - 31 October, 2021.
No Fans At U-20 Champs In Nairobi
The World Under 20 Championships are coming 17 - 22 August. It’s the biggest sporting event ever in Nairobi, but no one will be there to see it. Sadly, but unsurprisingly, spectators won’t be allowed due to COVID restrictions. 1,300 athletes will still be there putting on a great show, we just wish we could be there in person to cheer them on.
Non - Kenyan News
Motherhood and Athletics
American runners Aliphine Tuliamuk, Allyson Felix, and Kara Goucher, Great Britain's Tiffany Porter, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica all feature in this story about competing on the world stage as a mother. It’s a great read about the challenges of motherhood as an athlete, a bit of good news looking at how much has changed for the better, but also a dose of reality of how many barriers still remain.