Did Nike influence the selection of the Kenyan Olympic marathon team?

This Wednesday, the Kenya Athletics Federation (Athletics Kenya) presented its marathon team for the Paris Olympic Games and some names caused a surprise, arousing the suspicion of the expert press.

In reality, there are already four positions defined and the last two need to be confirmed: a male and a female. The Kenyan federation has picked two of the best athletes the African nation has produced in its entire history, but are nearing the twilight of their careers. We speak, neither more nor less, than Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei.

These are the two top athletes, perhaps the best the African country has produced in its entire history, but this year showed a lower performance than some of their compatriots.

The great Eliud Kipchoge, for example, ran the Tokyo marathon in March, where he could only finish in tenth position with a time of 2:06:50, four minutes behind the winner. Eliud was overtaken by five Kenyans, two Ethiopians, an Israeli and a Japanesesomething unusual in his career – until this year, Kipchoge had only missed the podium in two of his twenty-one marathons, and had never been overtaken by a non-African athlete.

Kosgei’s case is even more remarkable. He hadn’t been on the podium of a major marathon in more than twenty-four months. He abandoned London 2023 due to injury, finished fourth in New York behind two other Kenyans and, more recently, was fifth in the last edition of the London marathon.

Too much Sharon Lokedi number Joyceline Jepkosgei, both Kenyans, have beaten Kosgei in recent marathons. Lokedi did it in New York, where he finished third a few months before finishing runner-up in the Boston Marathon, two races with as steep a slope as the Paris Olympic Marathon. Jepkosgei, for his part, finished third in London, where he led Kosgei by almost four minutes.

To this equation we can add Rosemary Wanjirucurrent runner-up in the Tokyo marathon with a time of 2h16:14.

The obvious question is: Why did Kenya choose Kipchoge and Kosgei when other athletes have shown better form in recent months?

The website specializes in athletics letsrun.com suggests an answer: due to the influence of Nike. The Oregon giant dressed the Kenyan athletics team and, in turn, sponsored Kipchoge and Kosgei.

The other four athletes selected for the Kenyan team are sponsored by competing brands: Peres Jepchirchir, Benson Kipruto and Alexander Mutiso are from adidasfrom Hellen Obiri running and Sharon Lokedi, who is thought by many to be part of the team, is running along Under Armour.

That is Nike is running out of athletes on the Kenyan marathon team for the Olympicsand we all know that the Games are a great showcase for brands.

“It’s a case of the swoosh, my friend,” said a journalist quoted by North American media at X.

“Yes, the women’s team should have a Nike athlete,” wrote another Kenyan journalist.

To be honest, it must be said that, from another point of view, the choice of Kipchoge and Kosgei was fully justified.

Kipchoge is a living legend of athletics, and at the same time remains a super competitive runner as of September 2023 won the Berlin Marathon in 2h02:42faster than any other Kenyan that year except the late Kelvin Kiptum.

Kosgei, for his part, continues to have Kenyan women’s marathon record (2h14:04 in 2019) and he showed strong in the last half marathon in Lisbon, where he won in 1h05:51.

Speculation ends on August 10 and 11, the date on which the men’s and women’s Olympic marathons will be held. At that time we will know whether the Kenyan federation made the right choice or not. As they say, the marathon puts everything in its place.