NAIROBI, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan officials have shifted their focus to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games following the "disappointing performance" at the ongoing World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022 in the United States.
With three days to go, Kenya has scooped six medals - one gold, three silver and a bronze - to lie fourth overall in the medal standings, which is not a disastrous performance by any standards unless you factor in that the east African nation has topped the African charts at every edition since Osaka 2007 in Japan.
Kenya also famously topped the overall standings at the Beijing 2015 worlds and after a week of competition, the performance of Oregon 2022 has sparked public ire with officials shouldering most of the blame.
The country's first contingent for the Commonwealth Games is expected to depart Nairobi on Friday, including competitors from athletics, boxing, squash, hockey, badminton, cycling, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, lawn bowls and para-cycling.
In Oregon, Kenya has so far surrendered the men's 1500m, men's 3,000m steeplechase, women's 3,000m steeplechase and women's marathon titles the country won at the Doha 2019 edition with Faith Kipyegon, the only champion from Qatar to retain her title in the women's 1,500m.
On Thursday morning (Wednesday evening Oregon time), Kenyans woke up to watch Norah Jeruto - a Kenyan born Kazakh - obliterate the field to succeed Beatrice Chepkoech as the world champion in the women's steeplechase, inviting even more criticism on mainstream and social media.
"Admittedly, many Kenyans have been left somewhat dejected by the fortunes of our athletes at the ongoing World Championships in Oregon. As Athletics Kenya (AK), we share the same disappointment and know we could have done better as a team. It was disheartening to see us lose out on the medal bracket in the men's marathon as well as the men's 1500m," Barnaba Korir, Team Kenya Head of Delegation for Oregon 2022 wrote in a statement issued on Thursday.
"Next week's Commonwealth Games provides a chance for us to redeem the country's image as an athletics powerhouse. We believe the coaches have acquired valuable lessons from the sojourn in Oregon and will definitely look to rectify our mistakes. In the meantime, there are still more chances remaining for the country to medal in Oregon and maybe topple Ethiopia in second position," Korir added.
But the statement did little to soothe public outcry over what Kenyans term as a dispiriting performance.
"Our tactics in almost all races are wanting, We have repeatedly warned that our coaching must change but no one is listening," retired three-time men's steeplechase champion, Moses Kiptanui, remarked.
"I don't feel like watching these championships, athletes showed their superiority at Kasarani (Nairobi) when they were choosing the team. Only Faith (Kipyegon) does not disappoint come rain come shine. Obiri (Hellen), (Stanley) Mburu, (Judith) Korir in the women's marathon made us proud. Just waiting for the last race 5,000m men. very disappointing," former world cross country champion Mangata Ndiwa posted on social media platform Facebook.
Such sentiments resonate with most Kenyans who feel the team to Oregon was ill prepared as a unit with only the brilliance of some individual athletes; gold medallist Kipyegon, silver winners Obiri (women's 10,000), Mburu (men's 10,000m), Korir (women's marathon) and Margaret Chelimo who took the bronze in the women's 10,000m saving the country from disaster.
On Tuesday, AK was forced to come out with a statement denying 32 individuals not connected with the sport had travelled to Oregon as part of the Team Kenya delegation.
On July 14, the country was rocked by news that African champion and record holder in the men's 100m, Ferdinand Omanyala, a medal prospect in the sprints risked not travelling to Oregon over visa delays and when he eventually got there only hours to his first race, he subsequently ended his interest in the semi-finals on July 16.
Officials are yet to explain why women 10,000m athlete, Sheila Chepkirui, a former African champion did not travel to Eugene after failing to secure her visa as well as the now deposed women's steeplechase Doha 2019 champion Chepkoech who was reported to have withdrawn from her defense with hamstring problems.
On July 16, Kenya was also stunned by news that men's marathon hopeful, Lawrence Cherono, who placed fourth at last year's Olympics in Tokyo, would not run the next day after he was provisionally suspended by Athletics Integrity Unit after a sample collected in May in an out of competition test was found to have a banned substance.
The World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022 ends on Sunday, with the Commonwealth Games starting on July 28. ■