Not sure why so many downvotes, probably because of the Obiri comments and the positive opinion of her training in the US and running the US majors. But the fact remains that she has only run 2:21, 2:27, and 2:22 in her last three marathons, and those last three marathons weren't stacked with 2:18 and faster women. I don't care if she closed the last few miles fast, she needs to be 2:16 or faster fitness to win a medal and she hasn't showed that at all.
In Boston 2023 Obiri outkicked Beriso, a 2:14 woman. In NYC 2023 she outkicked Gidey, a 2:16 woman. Obiri seems to be doing just fine against women with faster PBs.
Both slow races, so I guess she better hope the Olympics goes out slow the first half. Gidey has only run two marathons, a 2:16 and a 2:27. Not really sure how good she is yet at the marathon
Obiri, Jepchirchir, and Kosgei aren't even their fastest runners the past year and a half. The runners with the best average of 2 marathons is Wanjiru, Chepnegitich, and Jepkosgei. Ya Obiri won a few races, but she wasn't racing any of the real studs who could run 2:16 or faster. Assuming Siffan Hassan runs the marathon I'm going to say Kenya women don't win a medal, it'll be Hassan and two of the Ethiopians.
Can't complain about the men's picks. Kipruto has the fastest time and has another 2:04:02 to back it up. Mutiso just won London and has a 2:03:11 to go with it from December. Kipchoge has the 2nd fastest time in the window and that's about it, but he has earned it with other previous performances to have another shot to win gold. Surely the Kenyan men will have at least one guy on the podium, probably two.
Not sure why so many downvotes, probably because of the Obiri comments and the positive opinion of her training in the US and running the US majors. But the fact remains that she has only run 2:21, 2:27, and 2:22 in her last three marathons, and those last three marathons weren't stacked with 2:18 and faster women. I don't care if she closed the last few miles fast, she needs to be 2:16 or faster fitness to win a medal and she hasn't showed that at all.
Obiri is arguably the best marathon runner in Kenya (if not the world) but I'd also go with Peres.
Obiri can run any race. She can run any race that unfolds. Yes, Obiri can run a 2:15 if the situation demanded. She is one of a kind.
Kipchoge being picked is really not a stretch. He is a proven performer at the Olympics and has a recent 2:02 to his name. Usually at least one Kenyan DNFs at the Olympics, so at the very least Kipchoge is a wise choice considering he's never dropped out of any of his 20 marathons.
The shocking pick is Kosgei over Lokedi. Kosgei was only the 3rd Kenyan in her recent marathons, London and NYC. In fact, Lokedi beat Kosgei in NYC. Hell, Lokedi also beat Obiri back in NYC 2022 if you want to go back that far.
Here are the London results (2024). London Marathon 2024: Women's results Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:16:16 *(Women's only WR) Tigst Assefa (ETH) 2:16:23. Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:16:24. Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:16:34. Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:19:02. Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:19:31. Tigist Ketema (ETH) 2:23:21. Yalamzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:23:26.
When the team was named by Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Jack Tuwei, Joyciline must have wept. I haven't even touched Lokedi.
Not sure why so many downvotes, probably because of the Obiri comments and the positive opinion of her training in the US and running the US majors. But the fact remains that she has only run 2:21, 2:27, and 2:22 in her last three marathons, and those last three marathons weren't stacked with 2:18 and faster women. I don't care if she closed the last few miles fast, she needs to be 2:16 or faster fitness to win a medal and she hasn't showed that at all.
In Boston 2023 Obiri outkicked Beriso, a 2:14 woman. In NYC 2023 she outkicked Gidey, a 2:16 woman. Obiri seems to be doing just fine against women with faster PBs.
I honestly don't think there is a woman who can beat Hellen other than Peres.
The real question amongst the women is which one of them will be popped for doping in a few year’s time like Sumgong in 2016. What an embarrassment to our great sport from the land of cheaters Kenya. A big joke to have Kenyan athletes racing against athletes from other countries when it’s just a matter of when not if their “stars” will be caught cheating again.
I don't have much of a problem with Kipchoge being on there. He's the 2-time defending champ and ran the fastest of all the Kenyans during the qualifying window.
Kosgei seems crazy to me and many others. Here is my favorite part of JG's article:
JG wrote:
2) Was the fix in?
There is one other important detail to note about the Kenyan women’s Olympic team. Kosgei is sponsored by Nike, which also sponsors Athletics Kenya. Had AK selected either Lokedi (Under Armour) or Wanjiru (adidas), there would have been no Nike athletes on the women’s team as Jepchirchir is sponsored by adidas and Obiri is sponsored by On.
Two prominent Kenyan journalists believe shoe affiliation played a role in the decisionmaking process. Mutwiri Mutuota referred to the decision as a “swoosh affair” while another Kenyan journalist, Michelle Katami, suggested the same.
It’s hard to ignore that all of Athletics Kenya’s recent controversial marathon selections have benefitted Nike athletes. In 2012, AK picked Moses Mosop (Nike) over Geoffrey Mutai (adidas), Patrick Makau (adidas), and Emmanuel Mutai (adidas). In 2016, AK picked Visiline Jepkesho (Nike) over Mary Keitany (adidas) and Florence Kiplagat (Nike). The most baffling selection of all was when AK named Wesley Korir to the men’s team in 2016 even though he had gone four years without a podium finish in any marathon. Korir’s sponsor? You guessed it, Nike.
We’ve reached out to Athletics Kenya to ask why Kosgei was selected and will update this story if we receive a response.
The reason as to why our athletes opt to run for other countries is because of the nonsense such as the one we saw with regard to women's team selection.
Joyciline, Lokedi and Wanjiru are all around 30 years old.
This was their shot at the Olympics yet, AK went for someone who is sub par compared to the trio.
I truly hope they'd all run for another country........let us just say Somalia or Lesotho.
Lokedi needs to acquire US citizenship if it is possible. We don't deserve her.
I don't have much of a problem with Kipchoge being on there. He's the 2-time defending champ and ran the fastest of all the Kenyans during the qualifying window.
Kosgei seems crazy to me and many others. Here is my favorite part of JG's article:
JG wrote:
2) Was the fix in?
There is one other important detail to note about the Kenyan women’s Olympic team. Kosgei is sponsored by Nike, which also sponsors Athletics Kenya. Had AK selected either Lokedi (Under Armour) or Wanjiru (adidas), there would have been no Nike athletes on the women’s team as Jepchirchir is sponsored by adidas and Obiri is sponsored by On.
Two prominent Kenyan journalists believe shoe affiliation played a role in the decisionmaking process. Mutwiri Mutuota referred to the decision as a “swoosh affair” while another Kenyan journalist, Michelle Katami, suggested the same.
It’s hard to ignore that all of Athletics Kenya’s recent controversial marathon selections have benefitted Nike athletes. In 2012, AK picked Moses Mosop (Nike) over Geoffrey Mutai (adidas), Patrick Makau (adidas), and Emmanuel Mutai (adidas). In 2016, AK picked Visiline Jepkesho (Nike) over Mary Keitany (adidas) and Florence Kiplagat (Nike). The most baffling selection of all was when AK named Wesley Korir to the men’s team in 2016 even though he had gone four years without a podium finish in any marathon. Korir’s sponsor? You guessed it, Nike.
We’ve reached out to Athletics Kenya to ask why Kosgei was selected and will update this story if we receive a response.
It does look bad that they are picking seemingly undeserving Nike athletes. Is this a self imposed “fix” that they think will please Nike and lead to high sponsorship in the future or is Nike pressuring them? Nike sponsors a lot of national federations. Do any of them pick Nike athletes over more deserving athletes sponsored by other brands?
Nike unofficially gets wild card picks for both men and women and they chose Eliud and Brigid. Apparently no one's mad at Athletics Kenya because the circumstances are clear and they made the correct picks for their four.
Well of course. But will he medal? If he does what colour will it be? Part of me wants Bekele and Kipchoge both to medal (21 years after Paris 2003!!), but i think Lemma and Munayo and Kipruto deserve something. Five into three does not go
This Brigid Kosgei choice is akin to that of WEsley Korir in London.
They bangled it up perhaps because they didn't want to put Geoffrey Mutai and we ended up with Emmanuel.
I truly hope Kosgei doesn't make it and they bring in Sharon.
This is a total waste.
They should have brought in Jepkosgei instead.
I agree that Sharon Lokedi or Janeth Jepkosgei would be the better choice. I still think Kosgei has medal prospects. She'd probably be best letting the Ethiopians do the early pacing, and wear themselves out. I wouldn't trust Chepngetich to have the discipline to do that, so she's at least the better pick than her. Last 5-6 miles it's gotta be her, Obiri and Jepchirchir taking on the business end. Hassan can be dropped, and Assefa is inexperienced. Beriso is very solid, but is beatable by all 3 here. I'd feel most confident with Jepkosgei, too. Lokedi you can't really argue with her results, but I wonder if Paris is a little more honest/hot, will she fare as well?
Janeth Jepkosgei 800m World Champion in 2007 would struggle mightily hehe
In Boston 2023 Obiri outkicked Beriso, a 2:14 woman. In NYC 2023 she outkicked Gidey, a 2:16 woman. Obiri seems to be doing just fine against women with faster PBs.
Both slow races, so I guess she better hope the Olympics goes out slow the first half. Gidey has only run two marathons, a 2:16 and a 2:27. Not really sure how good she is yet at the marathon
Considering no woman has ever run under 2:23 at the Olympics, I'd say there's a solid chance it goes out slow.
On balance, I probably would have went with Lokedi, but picking Kosgei isn't some massive injustice. If I wanted to make a case for Kosgei, I'd point out that she has the pedigree (PBs of 64 for the HM and 2:14 compared to Lokedi's 68 and 2:22). Kosgei is also proven as a 5x WMM winner compared to Lokedi's 1, and Kosgei has the silver medal from the last Olympics. And it's not like Kosgei has been poor, she's ran 2:19 in each of the last two years and ran 2:16 to win Tokyo in 2022. If we compare the most recent performances, Lokedi looks better on the face of it, but who did she beat to get 2nd at Boston. A 39 year-old Ednah Kiplagat and Teferi, who only managed to run 2:19 at Berlin but otherwise, has little marathon pedigree (though she was a good track runner). Kosgei was 5th in London but she beat class athletes like Yehualaw, Chekirui, and Chepngetich.
Again, I'm not saying Kosgei should have been picked, it's just not a massive misstep by AK and she undoubtedly has a better résumé than Lokedi, it's not even close.
