By Robert Kibet
When the lights go up Saturday night at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, it won’t just be another Diamond League evening. For Kenya, it’s a moment of reckoning.
In a move as daring as it is debated, Athletics Kenya has chosen to hold its official time trials for the men’s 10,000 metres and women’s 5,000 metres on U.S. soil, at the Prefontaine Classic — thousands of kilometres from the high-altitude dirt roads of Iten and Eldoret.
Among the spiked shoes lining up for the men’s 10,000m, one pair carries more than national hopes — they carry legacy. Ishmael Kipkurui, the soft-spoken star from Machongoi in Baringo County, arrives in Eugene not as a mere prospect, but as the reigning NCAA 10,000m champion. And his form, timing, and emotional charge might just be the perfect cocktail for Kenya’s long-overdue breakthrough.
From NCAA Champion to Tokyo Hopeful
Just weeks ago, Kipkurui — now racing for the University of New Mexico Lobos — executed one of the most commanding 10,000m finishes in NCAA history. In a tactical masterclass, he closed the final 800m in under 1:54, surging ahead of a quality field with a 53.4-second final lap to secure gold at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
But there was more to it than medals.
Hours before the race, Kipkurui learned of the sudden passing of fellow Kenyan NCAA standout Eliud Kipsang, a former 1500m record holder at Alabama.
Kipsang’s death hit the 46-member Kenyan contingent hard, but none more than Kipkurui, who had once sought his mentorship and encouragement.
“Even during the race, I thought of him,” Kipkurui said after the win. “He inspired us all. I wore ‘E.K.’ on my bib to carry him with me.”
That race wasn’t just a title defense. It was a eulogy, written in spikes and sweat. Tonight, he races again on the same track, this time chasing something even greater: a place on the Kenyan national team to Tokyo 2025.
Kenya’s Long Wait in the 10,000m
It has been nearly a decade since Kenya last reached the podium in the men’s 10,000m at a World Championship.
Despite the country’s rich distance pedigree, the event has seen Kenya play catch-up to Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and Ethiopia’s deep tactical machines.
The field tonight includes Stanley Waithaka Mburu, Nicholas Kipkorir, Benson Kiplagat, Robert Kiprop Koech, and others.
But it is Kipkurui — molded by U.S. collegiate racing, honed by grief, and burning with intent — who may just be the disruptor Kenya needs.
“I’ve worked on everything — speed, endurance, strength,” Kipkurui said.
“The NCAA has shaped me. I want to represent Kenya on the biggest stage.”
His journey began far from the manicured lanes of Hayward Field. Raised in rural Baringo, Kipkurui helped his parents with farmwork, walked long distances to school, and ran barefoot before being discovered.
A scholarship to New Mexico changed his life. He’s now studying Health Education, but his mind tonight is squarely on Tokyo.
The Controversy: Trials Far From Home
Yet for all the excitement, tonight’s selection method has divided Kenya’s athletics community.
Edwin Soi, the decorated Olympian and Commonwealth medallist, minced no words.
“This is not a fair way to conduct trials,” Soi told Pura Vida Sports Africa.
“You’re denying young, home-based talent a shot. We have capable tracks at Kasarani and Eldoret. Trials should happen in Kenya.”
Soi, who earned his stripes the traditional way — on Kenyan soil — believes this overseas trial favors elite athletes with access to travel, NCAA exposure, or foreign training bases.
Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, a 2022 World 10,000m silver medallist, has been eyeing the Tokyo Olympic marathon, echoed those concerns.
“The federation must be careful not to shut out others. Trials should be inclusive,” Ebenyo said. “Doing this far away from home isn’t fair. It sends the wrong message.”
Their critique strikes at the heart of the issue: merit vs. access. In choosing Eugene, Athletics Kenya gambled that performance under pressure in world-class conditions would yield better selections. But at what cost?
5,000m Women: A Blistering Battle Ahead
The women’s 5,000m features a firestorm of talent. Beatrice Chebet headlines a lineup including Agnes Jebet Ngetich, Caroline Nyaga, Janeth Cheng’etich, and Maurine Jepkoech Chebor.
While Kenya’s medal chances are strong, the selection controversy lingers here too.
Still, the field remains formidable.
For Chebet and Ngetich, it’s not just about qualifying — it’s about setting the tone ahead of Tokyo.
Pamela Koskei: NCAA Women Rising
Kenya’s NCAA surge isn’t limited to the men.
Pamela Koskei, also of the University of New Mexico, is expected to race in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase tonight.
Like Kipkurui, Koskei has used the American collegiate system to hone both academic and athletic skills.
Her rise reflects a broader shift, where NCAA scholarships are becoming stepping stones for young Kenyan women, helping them access elite facilities, coaching, and global competition.
More Than Trials: The Bigger Kenyan Story in Eugene
Beyond the 10,000m and 5,000m, Eugene will also host some of Kenya’s biggest stars in their Diamond League events:
- Mary Moraa, world 800m champion, runs in the Mutola 800m
- Faith Kipyegon returns to action in the 1,500m
- Timothy Cheruiyot, Abel Kipsang, Reynold Cheruiyot, and Festus Lagat feature in the Bowerman Mile
While not trial races, their performances will shape Kenya’s broader Olympic narrative — and provide a welcome counterbalance to the selection storm.
Tonight: One Race, Many Messages
As the bell rings tonight, Kipkurui won’t just be racing for a time or a title. He’ll be running with the memory of Kipsang, the hunger of a boy from Baringo, and the burden of a system trying to redefine itself.
This Prefontaine Classic will mark more than who gets to represent Kenya in Tokyo.
It will be remembered for how selections were made, how emerging athletes were treated, and how trust — long-strained — was either earned or eroded.
For now, in Eugene, one truth stands above all: Kenya is fast — but fairness must never trail behind.
Robert Kibet is a freelance journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya. He previously worked as a correspondent for Milele FM. His feature stories on development, the climate crisis, the environment, conflict, human rights, food security, and education have been published in The Guardian UK, Reuters, IPS, DW, The New Humanitarian, and Equal Times.
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