How Jacob Krop and Co aim to quench Kenya's 18-year thirst for World Championships 5000m gold

ATHLETICS How Jacob Krop and Co aim to quench Kenya's 18-year thirst for World Championships 5000m gold

Abigael Wafula 06:30 - 17.07.2023

During last year's edition of the World Championships, Kenya only managed a second-place finish in the men's 5000m.

As the men’s team heads to the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, they are bound to face stern competition from other seasoned athletes from Uganda, Ethiopia, and Norway but World 5000m silver medallist Jacob Krop remains unfazed.

Last year, Kenya only managed a second-place finish in the race courtesy of Krop as Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen took top honours. Uganda’s Oscar Chelimo sealed the podium in the highly contested race.

Kenya has never won a gold medal since the 2005 edition of the World Championships in Helsinki courtesy of Benjamin Limo and Krop has a plan on how to reclaim the title.

“I feel like this year things will not be very difficult for us…we just have to go back to the drawing board and train hard so that we can know how to best tackle our opponents,” he said.

Krop has been selected to represent the country in the 5000m alongside Nicholas Kimeli, Daniel Simiu, and Cornelius Kemboi and he also believes that embracing teamwork will be key if they plan to dethrone the reign of other countries and take back their place.

As an individual, Krop revealed that he has been competing in a few races in order to be fit ahead of the championship.

He revealed that last year he competed in many races and by the time the World Championships were approaching, he was fatigued and therefore was not at his optimum.

“I learned a lot from last season because I had competed in many races and by the time I was going to the World Championships, I was fatigued. However, this season I have competed in a few races and I am glad my body is responding well,” he said.

Krop has only been to two Diamond League Meetings this season where he finished third in the 3000m at the Meeting in Paris, France, and secured an eighth-place finish at the Meeting in Florence, Italy.