Kenya, a nation best known for long-distance dominance, is now sprinting into new territory, and the world is beginning to take notice.
Team Kenya returned home this week to a hero’s welcome following a historic performance at the 2025 World Athletics Relays held on May 10–11 in Guangzhou, China.
Traditionally considered outsiders in the sprinting world, Kenya stunned global athletics fans by clinching three World Championship qualification slots and a bronze medal in the 4x400m mixed relay.
Their achievement marks a bold shift in global sprint dynamics, a signal that the East African nation is rewriting its athletic narrative.
𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵
At the heart of Kenya’s Guangzhou success was the mixed 4×400 metres relay quartet of David Sanayek, Mercy Chebet, Brian Tinega, and Mercy Aoko, who clocked a season’s best of three minutes, 13.10 seconds to earn a bronze medal, finishing behind the United States and Italy.
On the men’s side, the 4x100m team blazed to a national record of 38.95 seconds, securing automatic qualification to the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The 4x400m men’s team, captained by Boniface Mweresa, continued the momentum by clocking 3:01.35, another national milestone that sealed their ticket to Tokyo.
“Kenya is rising in sprinting. We were not just there to participate but to compete,” said Mweresa upon landing at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Tuesday.
“But if we want to truly challenge the best, we must start early preparations and get the right training environment.”
𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮’𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀
The story of Kenya’s sprinting renaissance isn’t just about results. It’s a tale of deliberate investment, grassroots mobilization, and a federation that decided to pivot, gradually, then suddenly into the sprinting spotlight.
At a celebratory breakfast held in Nairobi on Wednesday, Barnaba Korir, Athletics Kenya’s Youth Development Director, lauded the team’s Guangzhou heroics while reaffirming the federation’s long-term sprinting vision.
“For you to perform, you have to be disciplined. That’s something I’ve always emphasized,” said Korir. “I’m proud of the team’s focus and determination, they made the country proud.”
Korir revealed that Kenya’s relay squad, which performed admirably in Guangzhou, may remain unchanged heading into Tokyo.
“Given their strong performance, this winning team may remain intact,” he noted.
Ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo, Korir hinted that the team might head to Miramas, France, for a high-performance training camp in the lead-up to Tokyo. This initiative, Korir said, is part of Kenya’s broader strategy to integrate global best practices in coaching, recovery, and performance science into its sprinting programs.
“As a federation, we’ve done our best to support them, including ensuring Nike fulfilled its promise with proper shoes and spikes. We now plan to send this same team for advanced training in Miramas,” he added.
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘀
Kenya’s sprinting evolution hasn’t happened overnight. Behind the medals and qualifying times are years of work in talent identification and youth development, especially through the Kids Athletics program and inter-school championships that have uncovered raw speed from all corners of the country.
“Kenya has great sprinting talent. It just needed nurturing,” said Korir.
“I also thank our Kids Athletics coordinators for helping Kenya shine globally.”
Indeed, the sight of Kenyan sprinters sharing the podium with traditional powerhouses like the United States and Jamaica is emblematic of athletics’ changing face.
Global sprinting is no longer a two-continent affair; Africa is claiming its lane.
Team manager Kennedy Tanui and Athletics Kenya Senior Vice President Paul Mutwii, who led the Guangzhou delegation, emphasized the need for sustained investment and government support to maintain the momentum.
“This is just the beginning,” said Mutwii. “We must ensure that our teams are not just participating in global events, but reaching finals and standing on podiums. That means proper training camps, international meets, and financial support.”
Tanui echoed the call for government involvement: “With the right preparation and logistics, these athletes can deliver medals on the global stage.”
𝗔 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴
Kenya’s breakthrough in Guangzhou comes at a time when world athletics is seeing more parity across disciplines.
Once-dominant nations are facing fierce competition from emerging programs, especially in the relays where teamwork and precision are as critical as raw speed.
For Kenya, Guangzhou may well be remembered as the inflection point, when the world began to see its sprinting team not as underdogs, but as genuine contenders.
The bronze in the mixed relay was the only podium finish for Kenya in Guangzhou, but the symbolic value of that medal extends far beyond its color.
It marks Kenya’s arrival, not just as distance-running royalty, but as a sprinting nation on the rise.
𝗘𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝗸𝘆𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱
As preparations begin for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September, the global athletics community will be watching Kenya closely. Will the East African nation convert its momentum into medals on the world’s biggest stage?
With elite-level training in France, an experienced coaching team, and a roster of motivated athletes hungry to prove themselves, Kenya’s sprinting team is well-positioned to upset the status quo.
“Let’s keep setting the right example for the next generation,” said Korir.
“The journey has just begun.”
From Nairobi to Guangzhou, and now, Tokyo, Kenya’s sprinters are writing a new chapter in the country’s rich athletic history.
And this time, it’s measured not in miles, but in milliseconds.
ALL PHOTOS: PETER NJOROGE
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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