Kenya’s Sprint Team Charges Toward World Championship Qualifiers in Gaborone
Kenya’s sprint team fine-tunes baton exchanges during a training session at Nyayo National Stadium ahead of their trip to Gaborone for the Lefika International Relays 2026. (Photo: NOC-Kenya)
Kenya’s sprint team heads to Lefika International Relays 2026 in Gaborone, Botswana happening this Saturday, ahead of World Relays trials April 9-11.
Young Sprinters Leading Kenya’s Charge
Kenya’s sprint team is heading to this weekend’s Lefika International Relays 2026 in Gaborone, Botswana, with young legs and high hopes. The competition serves as a key stepping stone ahead of the World Relays trials, scheduled from April 9-11, 2026 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi, Kenya.
Coach Perpetua Mbutu, who leads the national sprint squad, expressed confidence in her team.
“We have four relay teams already qualified, and we are pushing for the 4x1 mixed relays to also make it,” she said. “The athletes selected have run excellent times this season. We believe they will make us proud.”
The squad boasts a mix of experience and youthful energy, featuring standout athletes such as Steve Onyango, Meshack Babu, and Ferdinand Omanyala. Omanyala’s 2025 performance in the 4x1 relay in Guangzhou, China, has set high expectations for the team’s performance in Gaborone.
“This team represents the next generation of Kenyan sprinters,” said Perpetua. “With proper mentorship, the young athletes will run even faster and carry Kenyan athletics forward.”
Mentorship and Support Shaping Future Champions
The development of young talent has been supported not only by Athletics Kenya, through the head coach, youth development director, and executive committee, but also by athlete mentorship foundations. The Rising Stars Foundations, led by Mark Otieno, have been instrumental in nurturing emerging sprinters, giving them the guidance and resources needed to excel.
Perpetua highlighted the impact of this support system:
“Foundations like Rising Stars are helping athletes like Dennis Mwangi, who started young and is now performing very well. It’s encouraging for us coaches to see the next generation being properly mentored.”
The team of 25 athletes, supported by four coaches and a team manager, has been training intensively since early morning, focusing on baton handling, relay strategy, and race-day execution.
“The young blood in this team is our secret advantage,” Perpetua noted. “Their energy, speed, and determination are unmatched.”
Kenya’s sprint squad hopes their preparation and talent will translate into strong performances at the Lefika International Relays 2026, setting the stage for success at the World Relays trials from April 9-11 and continuing Kenya’s legacy in sprinting.