The songs and dances that characterise the jetting in of medallists from international contests might be hushed when the Kenyan squad to the 2025 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing arrives back home.
The team of ten athletes, accompanied by five officials never won a single medal in the three-day World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, making it the most disappointing outing for Kenya in years.
At the close of the global showpiece on Sunday, the country had nothing to smile about. There were no strong talking points either.
Medal hopes were on the shoulders of Susan Ejore, the only Kenyan who qualified for a race in the final, but she didn’t make it to the podium after finishing fifth in a contest that proved tough.
Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia, the 5000m world record holder was crowned the 1500m champion. She ran a 3:59.30 course record.
Her compatriot Diribe Welteji (3:59.30) took the silver medal, while Georgia Bell (3:59:84) of Great Britain settled for silver.
Ejore finished behind Georgia Griffith of Australia, ending Kenya’s hopes of a medal in the 2025 World Indoor Championships. Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the 1500m gold medal, his second title after the 3000m victory on Saturday. The two-time Olympic champion cruised to victory in 3:38.79 as Great Britain’s Neil Gourley (3:39.07) and Luke Houser (3:39.17) of USA taking silver and bronze respectively.
Kenyans had on Saturday struggled in the 3000m race, which was the first final that the country’s cast was competing in at the World Indoor showdown.
The 3000m race turned out to be a disappointing contest for the Kenyan cast because there was no medal from either former Hamburg 10km winner Purity Kajuju Gitonga or African 5000m bronze medallist Cornelius Kemboi who carried hopes of Kenya’s athletics enthusiasts in the women’s 3000m clash.
Both Kajuju and Kemboi, however, settled for the 8th place in their different categories.
Two-time Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen took the hotly contested 3000m title after edging out Olympic 10000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia by 16 micro-seconds.
Festus Lagat, the only man who was doing duty for Kenya in the 1500m, did not qualify for the final after placing third in 4:02.99 behind winner Mariano Carcia (4:02.68) and Portugal’s Isaac Nader (4:02.79) in Heat 4, in day one on Friday.
