PARIS, France, Aug 2 – Veteran Kenyan race-walker Samuel Gathimba is not giving up yet in handing Kenya a historic medal at the global stage after finishing 22nd in the men’s 20km event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Gathimba, 36, qualified to the 2024 Summer Games through the world ranking and speaking after the race, Gathimba, who started off on a high in the first half of the race said he could not cope up with the energy level owing to not getting enough time to train.
“Late confirmation by World Athletics on our qualification through the ranking affected me a bit because I could not have enough time to prepare adequately. But all in all, I did my best there is always next time,” the three-time Africa champion told Team Kenya after the early morning race, which was delayed by half an hour due to rainy conditions in the French capital.
Unlike its tradition where the walk race is competed over a distance of flat course, in Paris 2024 Games, things were different as event was held in a loop format, something that Gathimba said was challenging.
“The course for me was not favorable. It was boring because it was a distance of only 500m with three corners, which really wasted my time. If it would have been at least one kilometer, it would have been better. It was also very hilly for me and it was not favorable to make a good time,” Gathimba said.
Gathimba, who competed at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil but failed to finish said he was confident of stepping on the podium, but admitted he found it tough keeping up when the leaders injected some tempo into the contest.
“I expected to finish in a medal position this year and I tuned in to a pace that I knew would set me up for it. I believed in myself but it got to a point that the leaders accelerated. I tried to hang around them and I thought I could go till the end,” Gathimba lamented.
However, he picked the positives from the Olympics that witnessed a cutthroat competition and is now setting his eyes on qualifying and winning a medal at next year (2025) World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
“I am urging Team Kenya to continue sporting us. If possible, they facilitate for us to compete in events that will enable us hit the qualifying mark for World Championships next year,” Gathimba, who has competed at the World Championships before said.
He urged the young turks to keep on working hard, tipping them to even be more successful than him.
“For young talented athletes like Dominic Ndigiti, they are talented, we train together and are well disciplined. I see them going far and even achieve more than me, they are well trained under coach George Kariuki and if they maintain the same spirit they will go far.”
SAMUEL GATHIMBA FACT FILE
20km Race Walk
Name: Samuel Kireri Gathimba
Sport: Race walk
Born: October 26, 1987
Weight: 60kgs
Height: 5.7ft
Personal best
10,000m Race Walk: 39:23.14 (Birmingham 2022)
15km Race Walk: 1:01:54 (Nairobi 2021)
20,000m Race Walk: 1:26:57.2 (Nairobi 2024)
20km Race Walk: 1:18:23 (June 2021)
Olympics: Debutant