Kenya will send four swimmers for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships slated for this month on 11th – 18th in Doha, Qatar.
The National Olympics Committee of Kenya (Nock) released a list of two women and two men who will head to Doha and attempt to beat the qualifying mark to earn a ticket for the Paris Olympics Games scheduled to start on 26th July and end on 11th August this year.
Ridhwan Mohammed will compete in the 400M and 100M freestyle while in Doha as Maria Brunlehner will go for the 50M and 100M freestyle, Monyo Maina will be up for the 200M freestyle and Imara Bella now based in the UK will attempt to beat the qualifying marks of the 50M and 100M fly.
2019 All African Games bronze medalist Maria Brunlehner, a student at the Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, will be in the hunt her first medal in the 50m and 100m freestyle after winning a silver in the women’s 50 breaststroke during the International Gothaer & Friends Meet 2019.
While Imara Bella Thorpe will be banking on her lessons learnt during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, after exiting early during the heats. Bella had hoped to add a Commonwealth medal after winning the women 200m medley during the CANA Zone IV Swimming Championships in 2022.
In the men’s side, 2023 Coimbra Swimming Open 400m silver medalist Ridhwan Abubakar Mohammed who is based in England is hoping to put the past behind him after, challenging Kenya Swimming Federation at the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) over a decision barring him from being included to participate in Doha over a late entry. Mohammed failed to beat the 12th, December 2023 deadline but will still compete despite the SDT ruling against him competing.
While Moyo Maina will be in the hunt for his first senior medal in the 200m freestyle. The 20 year old, has a personal best of 01 one minute 55.28 seconds in the Men 200 Freestyle set during the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
The team will also swim in the mixed 4 X 100M freestyle relay and 4 X 100M medley relay.
Last time out during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics , Kenya was represented by Emily Muteti for the 50m women’s free style and Danilo Rosafio who represented the country on the 100 m men’s free style, unfortunately both did not advance past the heats.
