Athletics Kenya has named a six-member team to represent the country at the upcoming World Athletics Indoor Championships scheduled for 20–22 March in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland.
The squad features a mix of experienced competitors and emerging talent across sprint and middle-distance disciplines as Kenya aims to make an impact on the global indoor stage.
The three-day championship will bring together the world’s leading indoor track and field athletes, with intense competition expected across all events.
Despite Kenya’s dominance in middle and long-distance running outdoors, the indoor arena has historically presented challenges for the East African nation. The country has struggled to consistently translate its outdoor success into medals at major indoor championships.
Kenya’s most recent outing at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing proved difficult. The country fielded a relatively strong 10-member team but ultimately finished the competition without a medal.
Expectations had been high for the Kenyan contingent, particularly in middle-distance races where the country traditionally excels. However, stiff global competition prevented the team from securing a podium finish.
The medal-less performance in Nanjing is understood to have influenced this year’s smaller squad selection, with officials opting to send a more compact team to the 2026 championships.
Athletics Kenya officials believe the selected athletes still possess the ability to deliver competitive performances despite the reduced team size.
Kenya’s last podium finish at the global indoor championships came two years earlier during the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Scotland.
On that occasion, Kenya secured a single medal through steeplechase star Beatrice Chepkoech, who claimed bronze in the women’s 3,000 metres.
Chepkoech delivered an impressive performance, clocking a national indoor record time of 8:22.68 to secure the podium finish. Her achievement ensured Kenya avoided leaving Glasgow empty-handed and provided a rare highlight for the country in indoor competition.
Another notable performance in Glasgow came from Kenya’s sprint star Ferdinand Omanyala. The African 100 metres record holder reached the final of the men’s 60 metres, eventually finishing fourth in a time of 6.56 seconds.
Omanyala’s performance demonstrated Kenya’s growing competitiveness in sprint events, an area historically dominated by athletes from North America and Europe.
Kenya finished the 2024 championships ranked 27th overall in the medal standings with the lone bronze medal.
As preparations continue for the 2026 edition in Poland, Kenyan athletics officials are hopeful that the selected athletes can rise to the occasion and challenge for medals despite the country’s modest history at the indoor championships.
The upcoming championships in Kujawy Pomorze are expected to feature many of the world’s top performers across track and field, making it one of the most anticipated events of the indoor athletics season.
For Kenya’s athletes, the event presents an opportunity to test themselves against elite global competition while also attempting to improve the country’s record in indoor championships.
With a blend of experience and youthful promise in the squad, Athletics Kenya will be hoping the team can defy past trends and deliver a breakthrough performance on the international indoor stage.
List of selected Athletes for the World Indoor Championships- 2026
400m Men
- Brian Omari Tinega
800m Men
- Noah KIBET
3000m Men
- Jacob Krop
400m Women
- Mercy Adongo Oketch
800m Women
- Rosemary Longisa
1500m Women
- Susan Lokayo Ejore