The fast-rising star Koitatoi Kidali, from Maili Tisa Namanga, Kajiado County is seeking to defy all odds and deliver a medal for Kenya at the upcoming Paris Olympics scheduled for Fri, 26 Jul 2024 – Sun, 11 Aug 2024 in France.
The 22 year-old is among a team of 90 athletes announced last month by Athletics Kenya to represent the country during the Summer Games after running a personal best of 1:42.66 for the 800 metres at the Kenyan Olympic trials at Nyayo national stadium .
His coach and athletics consultant Sylvester Nakeel believes the athlete has the potential to do better in Paris and finish in medal bracket amid stiff competition from compatriots and oversees runnners.
“Kidali is a very promising boy with immense potential to succeed at the world stage . He’s a well-rounded sportsman who possesses agility, strength, endurance,speed,flexibility and coordination.Fellow pastoralists from Kajiado will be looking upto him as he does his thing in Paris and I’m sure the outcome will be breathtakingly thrilling.In him,Kenya has a record-breaker in waiting and it’s only a matter of time” said Nakeel
Placed at position 109 in the current world ranking of men’s 800m,Kidali will be hoping to replicate his glittering performance during the Track Night Vienna,Austria where he clocked 1:45.25 to bag the top spot in a race that attracted 32 athletes in June this year.
The teen sensation will fly Kenyan flag in 800m alongside World Athletics Championships silver medalist Emmanuel Wanyonyi and two-time Commonwealth champion, Wycliffe Kinyamal.
During the trials ,Wanyonyi dropped the third fastest men’s 800m performance in history to storm to the Paris 2024 Olympics in a sensational fashion while Kinyamal posted 1:42.50, the third quickest time at high altitude to book his automatic Olympic ticket.
“It feels great to make it to the Kenyan team that will do duty during the upcoming global event.I will do my best to make both my country and fans proud. It will be a privilege participating alongside Wanyonyi and Kinyamal who are heavyweights in this race. The Kenyan spirit will headline our expectations even as each one of us strives to do well in individual capacity.We will embrace solidarity to bring the glory back home” noted Kidali.
Kidali will be aspiring to follow in the footsteps of two-time Olympic gold medalist and 800-meter world record holder, David Rudisha who as a young boy knew most of his life would revolve around the cattle he used to herd. He was keen on following the Maasai tribesmen tradition and leading his life as a warrior in the pasture land.
With various area championships having been held throughout June, and the national championships window having now closed, the fields for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are starting to take shape.
Some of the sport’s biggest stars, as well as some newer names, have excelled in recent weeks one month before track and field action starts at the French capital.
Kenya is banking on its good preparations to surpass the showing it displayed at the 32nd Olympic Games in Tokyo,Japan after being ranked the best African nation and 19th overall, with 10 medals – four gold, four silver and two bronze – all panned from athletics.
“We will continue this walk with you until you come back with the harvest of medals and experiences from Paris when we shall monetize these with handsome rewards in place.Many people in the world know Kenya for its sportsmen and women. When our athletes take the stage at the Olympic Games, they represent the values and ideals of Olympism that thrive on solidarity, friendship and peace ” affirmed President William Ruto when he presented the national flag to Team Kenya captains, Vincent Onyala (Olympics) and Asiya Mohammed Sururu (Paralympics).
800m will see the defending champion Emmanuel Korir miss out on his title defense following his performance at the Olympic trials. The former world champion could only afford a sixth-place finish in the semifinal, a result that denied him a slot in the final of the race.
