Athletics Kenya is mad. They have lost their marbles.

Ethiopia might select these guys.....just my thoughts.

Tesfaye Abera Dibaba

Lemi Berhanu Hayle

Kenenisa Bekele

Lelisa Desisa

Reserve:

Tesfaye Abera

Tirfi Tsegaye

Tigist Tufa

Mare Dibaba

Reserve

Baylanesh Oljira/Meselech Melkamu

These teams are menacing.

They need a better response than probably what Mheshimiwa Korir and Visiline will offer.

Just my thoughts.

I truly hope I am wrong.

AK, please prove me wrong.

Oops!

Men:

1. Lemi Berhanu Hayle

2. Lelisa Desisa

3. Kenenisa Bekele

Reserve:

Tesfaye Abera

Funny thing is I was telling folks the Kenyan team would be impossible mess up this time because we're spoilt for choice, but AK have just gone proved me wrong. The kind of controversy I was expecting was Florence making the team over Mary or vice versa. Or maybe Kipsang not making the team because of a Dickson Chumba or Bernard Kipyego.

But this? First, no justification whatsoever can be made for picking the (dis)honourable Korir. If he's honest, he knows he doesn't deserve the spot and should politely step aside. Typical of politicians to look out for the own interests but I thought he would be different. I was hoping for some sort of backlash but nothing seems to be materialising.

As for Visiline Jepkesho, what leverage does she have over AK for her to be selected especially after her disastrous run in the heat of Beijing? Is she someone's niece?

Hii ni Kenya bwana.

The problem with the Olympics is that it occurs every four years. It's therefore very hard to remedy. It's like they didnt' learn after picking Emmanuel Mutai in London.

First, they picked Mosop and after he got injured, rather than go for Geoffrey Mutai, they picked Emmanuel.

It is possible that a big name might get injured in July- perhaps Biwott or Sumgong (Lord forbid).

Then, AK will give us Kipyego and Kiplagat.

These are the times I hope that Mheshimiwa and Visiline get hamstring injuries.

I know that I am being sinister here and even inconsiderate but whatever it takes.

I thought we'd haveMary Keitany, Florence Kiplagat and Gladys Cherono two months ago.

NOne will be on teh team. Sumgong is clearly qualified but she probably have no back up. IF she does have a bad day, we'll be killed by the Ethiopians. I hope Kiprop steps in and steps up.

I think visiline is on teh team just because of the coverage she got after winning Paris.

She got to meet Uhuru and his wife alongside Kotut hence the selection.

luck has been following her through and through.

Mheshimiwa has no scruples. He won't step aside.

How he attends Bunge and trains for teh Olympics is beyond me..

He should have gone to canada (or become a US citizen).

If he were American, may be he wouldn't even be on teh team.

Stephen Kiprotich must be smiling. His chances have got better.

Shut your ugali holes and support the selected athletes.

Mad? Lost their marbles? Come on NativeSon, you know better than that. AK is like almost everything else in Kenya..corrupt to the core.

Tommy2Nuttz wrote:

Mad? Lost their marbles? Come on NativeSon, you know better than that. AK is like almost everything else in Kenya..corrupt to the core.

T2,

It is one thing on the one hand to be corrupt, but it is another on the other to be competent.

We thrive inspite of AK.

I wish there'd be a country, like Qatar, Bahrain, Mexico or Nigeria that could take the following athletes to Rio to run for them.

Men:

1. Wilson Kipsang

2. Dickson Chumba

3. Eliud Kiptanui

Reserve

4. Stephen Chemlany

5. Sammy Kitwara

Women:

1. Florence Kiplagat

2. Mary Keitany

3. Joyce Chepkurui

REserve

4. Edna Kiplagat

5. Caroline Rotich or anyone.

cornmeal paste wrote:

Shut your ugali holes and support the selected athletes.

This is an abomination.

The tragedy is that there is nothing we can do.

The women's team is just bad.

If Jemima doesn't deliver, we will be in trouble.

Now, I know that Helah is a great runner but we needed a veteran.

I can't wait to see Ethiopia's team.

I can't complain about Helah even though I was hoping for Mary and Florence. She proved herself in Beijing, won Tokyo and paced London. But Visiline and Wesley? I may be going to hell, but malaria is our last hope.

Kweli. AK ni wa SHENZI!

His constituents should raise hell. They elected him MP and he goes running across the world? How many sessions has he attended?

I"m sure both countries would love to have him. Take him off our hands, please.

He trains with Eliud who's the undisputed leader of their group.

It may all be moot anyway.....

Kenya faces fresh anti-doping crisis following surprise Wada move -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/36275649

a hack wrote:

It may all be moot anyway.....

Kenya faces fresh anti-doping crisis following surprise Wada move -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/36275649

Any timelne on when an announcement will be made. It's afternoon in Monaco.

T.I.A.

El Keniano wrote:

I can't complain about Helah even though I was hoping for Mary and Florence. She proved herself in Beijing, won Tokyo and paced London. But Visiline and Wesley? I may be going to hell, but malaria is our last hope.

I would not totally trash Visiline Jepkesho. Though I agree she is not of the same pedigree as Mary Keitany she could surprise in Rio. I think she is in a resurgence. I watched her last race in Paris. The way she dumped the Ethiopian girl(who had stuck to her heels as they usually do) so quickly mid-race, is the sort of thing that you don't see that often. It was a killer move that devastated the Ethiopian and she held on to the very end. That is the sort of person we need for the championships team. Many argue about her PB being just 2:24. Most Championship races are won in the range of 2:26 - 2:28 which is within her ability. Her only downside would be the 20th place at the world championships last year. She might have an explanation. Maybe she over-trained or had some health issues. Her last race shows a very much improved athlete. The Ethiopian girl she beat in Paris has a PB of 2:23:12 from winning Frankfurt 2015 and half marathon best of 1:08:40 from this year. She has better PBs than Visiline across all distances from 10K up. The fact Visiline crashed her means Visiline is a fighter and way better than last year. For comparison, Visiline finished third in Paris last year in her current PB. However she was well over a minute behind two Ethiopians.

As for Wesley, I have no defense of him. You have to at least run consistently in the 2:06 to get into that team and dream of a likelihood that you could medal. In that case Benard Kipyego or Dickson Chumba would be a better substitute than Wesley.

Wow!

You give me hope.

I'll try and see if there is a youtube video of visiline's last mile or so.

Even a three minute video will suffice.

Thanks!

Right here for you, NativeSon. Up until this race I didn't even Visiline that much but she really put everything out there for the selectors and fans. She is not just a name but a fierce competitor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0FV0b8dtX0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwshlN-U-4g

peter pony tosha wrote:

Right here for you, NativeSon. Up until this race I didn't even Visiline that much but she really put everything out there for the selectors and fans. She is not just a name but a fierce competitor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0FV0b8dtX0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwshlN-U-4g

wow!

She runs like Jemima Sumgong somehow.

Very strong.

I hope it was the right choice but she does look impressive.

Korir's is the crazy pick.

Thanks!

If I was the one to decide, I would pick someone like Bernard Koech or any of the good pacers who is still young and has PB of at least 2:07. His sole purpose would be to pace Biwott and Kipchoge to get away from the competition then slow down and run 2:30 or drop out. The best Kenya would expect is 1-2. Top 3 is a long shot with the current crop of Ethiopians and Stephen Kiprotich as well as the Eritrean World Champion who just finished a credible fourth in London. We kindly ask Korir to stand aside.

We have somehow got redemption but I still think we lost a medal due to poor team selection.

That said, I am past that. It's now over to the men.

Wesley Korir should not even start. He should do us that favour.