Youngster Damaris Mutunga yearning for a slot in the senior category at the World Championships

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ATHLETICS Youngster Damaris Mutunga yearning for a slot in the senior category at the World Championships

Abigael Wafula 09:00 - 16.04.2023

Mutunga will be Kenya's sole representative in the 200m and 400m at the Africa Junior Championships.

World under-20 400m silver medallist Damaris Mutunga believes she is ready to dine with the 'big boys' as she eyes a slot at the World Championships scheduled for August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary.

The 17-year-old is bullish about the move because she believes she has all it takes to test the waters and try her luck on the global showpiece.

“My biggest target this year is to get a slot to compete at the World Championships in August. I want to try to compete with the seniors to gauge myself,” she said.

During the Athletics Kenya trials for the CAA Africa U18/20 Championships, Mutunga obliterated a strong field to win both the 400m and 200m races with respective times of 54.38 and 23.90. She lamented that the weather conditions were not favourable hence she could not achieve her time targets.

She revealed that she will focus on both the races when she goes for the continental show scheduled for April 29 to May 3 in Lusaka, Zambia where she will be Kenya’s sole representative.

“I had prepared well for the races but the weather was not favourable but I know when I go to Zambia, I will definitely post a good time,” she said.

Mutunga is among young sprinters who have benefited from a training camp in the past two years at the Miramas Athletics Club in the southern city of France owing to a partnership between AK and the club. Through training in France, the youngster said she has improved immensely.