Jacob Krop, Ronald Kwemoi, and Edwin Kurgat have made it to the Olympic Games 5000m final, giving Kenya a chance to win a gold medal in the event after more than thirty years. The last time Kenya won a gold in this event was in 1988 by John Ngugi at the Seoul Olympics.
Krop, who has previously won a bronze medal at the world championships, will be aiming for his first Olympic medal after missing out on the 2020 Tokyo Games. Kurgat, a newcomer, and Kwemoi, who won the national trials, also secured their spots in the final after competing in the heats at Stade de France on August 7, 2024.
In the first round, Krop finished fourth with a time of 14:08.73, while Kurgat came in third with a time of 14:08.76. The top two spots were taken by Norway’s Narve Gilje Nordas and Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet.
Kwemoi, on the other hand, finished sixth in his round with a time of 13:52.5. He faced tough competition from the likes of Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway, who clocked 13:51.59. Other qualifiers for the final included athletes from Ethiopia, Belgium, USA, Uganda, Eritrea, and Canada.
With such strong competition in the final, Krop, Kwemoi, and Kurgat will have to give their best to secure a podium finish and bring home a gold medal for Kenya. The country’s hopes are riding high on these three athletes as they prepare to compete against the best in the world.
