10 Things to look out for in 2012

Happy New Year to all readers of this column! 2012 brings with it great hope and high expectations for Kenyan athletics coming from a bumper year.

Here is a list of 10 things we can look forward to this year in Kenyan athletics.

1.    As Pamela Jelimo proved to the world in 2008, you can bet on a complete upstart to emerge from Kenya and become a world beater. This year will not be any different. You can be sure that we will be celebrating new talent by the end of the season.

2.    After having one of the most remarkable seasons ever for a Kenyan female athlete, Vivian Cheruiyot looks set to continue her dominance in the long distance races on the track. Even with the highly motivated Ethiopians looking for revenge this year, look forward to another tremendous season by Vivian.

3.    World marathon domination. Kenyans will continue to dominate major city marathons around the world as running standards will rise. After an unbelievable season of some incredibly fast times in the marathon by Kenyan men this year, the world record could be broken once again given the highly competitive nature of that event.

4.    A strong performance by the Kenyan team at the Olympic Games in London at the end of July. After the highly successful Daegu World Championships in 2011 and the Beijing Games in 2008 both in Asia, high standards have been set with 6 gold medals and 15 total medals the minimum expectation level.

5.    Renewed challenges from our Ethiopian neighbours and other African born athletes in the long distance track races. A resurgent Bekele in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres will be tough to beat along with Mo Farah and Bernard Lagat who pose the greatest threat to Kenya’s path to the Olympic podium.

6.    Continued success for women on the track. Pamela Jelimo and Nancy Lagat’s success at the Beijing Olympics was inspired by Janeth Jepkosgei’s Osaka’s exploits and will open the floodgates for more women to follow in their footsteps across all events.

7.    More celebratory dances by our athletes like the “Kemboi dance” at the Daegu World Championships. Some unique dance moves and some showmanship by our athletes after victory can immortalize an athlete even more than the race itself.

8.    A low key cross country season. With the African championships the only major event of the season due to the World Cross Country Championships turning biennial, consequently, cross country isn’t a major focus this year.

9.    For local athletics fans, the centerpiece of the season is the Olympic Trials at Nyayo Stadium at the end of June. The world’s best athletes will fight for selection to compete in the London Games. One of the most competitive trials in the world!

10. A new constitution and elections for Athletics Kenya. Hopefully, a fresh professional set of leaders and a new dispensation to guide the most successful sport in this country.