This archive report was first published on 4 September 2019.
Published on September 4, 2019, by Geoffrey Anene, a sports enthusiast.
Samuel Gathimba, the 20km walking champion at the African Games, is gearing up for the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. The Kenyan athlete won his first African Games title in Rabat, Morocco, last month, finishing in 1 hour, 22 minutes, and 48 seconds.
He edged out Ethiopian Yohanis Algaw by 0.20 seconds, while South African Wayne Snyman secured bronze in 1:23:38. Reflecting on his performance, Gathimba, who will turn 32 on October 26, expressed confidence in his abilities.
‘The race was okay despite the hot weather. I led from the front and waited until the last two kilometres to break away from my closest challenger. I’m not about to retire. In fact, I’m getting better with age. I’m expecting a medal in Doha,’ Gathimba said in an interview with Nation Sport on Tuesday.
Gathimba made his World Championships debut in 2017 in London, where he finished 30th in 1:22:52. Kenya’s Simon Wachira, who placed fourth in Rabat in 1:24:40, did not complete the race in London.
At the African Games, Kenya dominated the women’s category, with Emily Ngii and Grace Wanjiru securing the top two spots in 1:34:41 and 1:34:57, respectively. Ethiopia’s Yehualeye Beletew finished third in 1:35:21.
