Athetics Kenya Names 5 Men, 6 Women To Its Olympic Marathon Team – Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Put Much Stock In It
By Robert JohnsonYou may have seen all over the internet today that Kenya has “cut down” or “trimmed” its 2024 Olympic marathon team from a long list of 10 potential entrants per sex to five for the men and six for the women.
THE MEN’S MARATHON TEAM.👑
The journey begins as we defend our crown.🇰🇪
5️⃣ Men will battle to be the final 3️⃣ to become Marathon Masters in Paris!😎
Let the Games BEGIN.#TeamKenya pic.twitter.com/Bg4XpJwAUL
— TeamKenya (@OlympicsKe) April 4, 2024
PARIS 2024 WOMEN’S MARATHON TEAM!🫶💃🏽
6️⃣ Women!We’re bringing the whole team to ROAR, and Sweep the PODIUM!😎
This is US!
This is #TeamKenya! pic.twitter.com/4lNmFwFhgJ— TeamKenya (@OlympicsKe) April 4, 2024
I wouldn’t put any stock into it.
What’s not being reported is that one of the men on the list now — Alexander Mutiso — wasn’t even on the original provisional marathon team that came out in early December. The reality is that when Athletics Kenya put out that initial list of 10 athletes, AK’s director of competitions Paul Mutwii admitted that others could be added to the list if they proved to be better than those currently on the list. That’s what happened with Mutiso as he promptly finished second in Valencia in 2:03:11.
So Athletics Kenya has shown that it is willing to add worthy athletes to the team even if they come from outside the list. With the spring marathon season upon us, I have to assume that is still the case (and have sent an email to Athletics Kenya asking for confirmation).
Evans Chebet, who is running the Boston Marathon on April 15, was not listed on the initial list of 10, nor the updated list of five released on Thursday. Are you telling me that if Chebet wins Boston — which would give him four straight marathon wins (all of them majors, including three straight Bostons) and seven wins in his last eight — he won’t be considered for the team? I think he will.
It’s worth pointing out that the five men listed as candidates for the team currently are the five highest-ranked Kenyans on the Road to Paris men’s marathon rankings. Chebet doesn’t have a Road to Paris rankings as he was hurt and didn’t run a fall marathon in 2023, but he will get one assuming he finishes in Boston.
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