Advertisement
Kenyan Masters sprinters shine as medal haul reaches 17 at World Championships
01st September, 2026 04:05 PM
Kenya’s veteran athletes are rewriting the country’s traditional athletics narrative after producing an impressive showing in the sprint events at the 2026 World Masters Athletics (WMA) Championships in Daegu, South Korea.
The performance by Athletics Kenya Masters athletes has demonstrated that Kenya’s strength on the track extends beyond the middle- and long-distance events for which the country is globally renowned.
Kenya’s medal tally at the championships has climbed to 17, including 11 gold medals, with the Masters team collecting podium finishes across track, field and road events.
The sprint success has provided another highlight for the Kenyan contingent, particularly as experienced athletes continue to challenge the perception that the country’s athletics dominance is largely restricted to endurance races.
On Monday, August 31, 2026, Grace Kidake, Sylvia Chesebe and Elizabeth Muthoka secured places in their respective women’s 400m finals in the W40, W35 and W50 categories.
Kidake, 39, a former national women’s 400m champion, is targeting another podium finish after already winning silver in the women’s 800m.
“We are absolutely thrilled by the historic performance of our sprinters here in Daegu. For years, the world looked to Kenya purely for marathons and distance events, but our Master athletes are proving that we have world-class speed in the shorter sprints. This success is a testament to their lifelong discipline and sends a powerful message to our younger generation that excellence knows no limits,” She said.
The Kenyan sprinters will return to action in the 400m finals on Wednesday, September 2,2026, with the races scheduled to begin at 10:00 am Daegu time.
Chesebe has already contributed to Kenya’s medal success after winning the W35 800m, while Kidake and Muthoka also advanced to the 400m finals with competitive times.
Kenya’s strength has not been confined to the track. Richard Chesoen, competing in the M35 category, secured Athletics Kenya Masters’ first international championship medal in the high jump.
His achievement was complemented by Betty Chebet in the W35 category and Caroline Kola in W65, further underlining the breadth of Kenya’s performance across field events.
The results in Daegu offer a significant boost to Kenya’s Masters athletics programme, with the success of the veteran sprinters potentially inspiring more athletes to take up competitive athletics later in their careers.
The performances also provide evidence of the depth of Kenya’s athletics talent across different generations and disciplines, with seasoned competitors continuing to make their mark on the international stage.
The 2026 WMA Championships, which began on August 22, 2026, and run through September 3, 2026, have brought together veteran athletes from around the world in Daegu.
With the competition approaching its conclusion, Kenya’s impressive medal haul and the emergence of its sprint contingent have added a new dimension to the country’s longstanding athletics success.
