In Africa, he won three-peat African titles in 2016, 2018 and 2022 on top of the Commonwealth bronze medal from the 2018 Glasgow Games.
Athletics got underway with the men’s 20km race walk. Finishing in the 22nd position, Samuel Gathimba was the second-best placed African walker in the men’s 20km race walk which started at 9 am East African time due to a heavy storm in Paris.
The 36-year-old clocked 1:21:26, his best time this season. Gathimba, the African Games bronze medalist was disappointed as he had different expectations in what he had earlier said would be his last Olympic Games.
“We had trained well. I am going to try more and more because in the walking race we keep on learning, walking technique, speed and all those, being consistent and all that. We request for Team Kenya this year to continue supporting us, to help us compete and qualify early so that we can perform well at the world championships,” Gathimba said.
At 9km, Gathimba was still with the chasing pack, he still pushed and inside the 14km, he was still with the pack then dropped back and behind. Brian Daniel Pintado of Ecuador is the new Olympic champion in the race walk, Brazil’s Caio Bonfim won silver as Brazilian Alvaro Martin completed the podium finish with his bronze while
Gathimba is one of the top walkers on the continent, his exploits have placed Kenya and Africa on the international map for walk race. A bronze medalist at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22. He missed out on the podium finish when he was fourth at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene. Last year he was in the ninth place in Budapest.
In Africa, he won three-peat African titles in 2016, 2018 and 2022 on top of the Commonwealth bronze medal from the 2018 Glasgow Games. Coming from a country well known for her running prowess, Gathimba’s exploits in race walk are nothing short of remarkable.
Gathimba’s Olympic debut came in 2016 in Rio, however, taking the wrong route got him disqualified. He missed the Tokyo Olympic games.
He has tipped youngsters like Dominic Samson Ndigiti to achieve above and beyond what he has achieved if they are fully supported, train hard and remain disciplined.
The young walkers are good. We train together, they train very well, they are disciplined. If they maintain that, they will achieve more,” Gathimba told Kenyan media.
“We request for Team Kenya this year to continue supporting us, to help us compete and qualify early so that we can perform well at the world championships,” Gathimba said.
In Judo, the first Kenyan female to compete in Judo at the Olympic Games, Zeddy Cherotich on her Olympic debut was eliminated by Women -78 kg Elimination Round of 32, Contest 3 Patricia Sampaio.
In Judo, the first Kenyan female to compete in Judo at the Olympic Games, Zeddy Cherotich was eliminated by Portuguese Patricia Sampaio 10-0 in the Women’s 78 kg Elimination Round of 32, Contest 3. The mother of two who only started training in 2022 lost by Ippon and did not make any contact. Zeddy, the 34-year-old KDF athlete, is a former javelin thrower who shifted to Judoka.
On Wednesday night, Malkia Strikers suffered their second defeat at the ongoing Olympic Games when they fell to Poland in three straight sets of 25-14, 25-17 and 25-15. While Malkia Strikers showed a great improvement in the attack, they struggled in the reception. The African champions will give another go on Saturday in the last preliminary match against Japan with the hope to still win one set at the Olympic Games. Pamela Adhiambo emerged as the top scorer with 14 points.