Two-time African Championships race walk gold medallist Samuel Gathimba is looking to compete in a series of races in Dublin, Ireland, to secure his spot for the 2025 World Championships.
The entry standard in the men’s 20km race for the Tokyo World Championships is 1:19:20 with the qualification period spanning from February 25, 2024, to August 24, 2025.
Gathimba’s fastest time this year is 1:21:26, set at the Paris Olympics, where he finished 22nd.
In an interview, Gathimba said after a dismal show in Paris, he is focused on attaining the World Championships qualification with his sights set on races in Dublin.
“Paris didn’t go as planned. I failed to meet the entry standard but I’m determined to qualify before the year ends. Race walkers need to secure qualification early to enable us to shift focus to training,” Gathimba said.
Reflecting on his Paris performance, Gathimba cited late travel as a factor. “I arrived in Paris a week before the race, which wasn’t enough time to acclimatise. Many of my competitors had already adjusted to the heat. However, I picked up invaluable experience from my second Olympic appearance,” he explained.
Gathimba believes Dublin’s favourable weather will be key to his success. “The conditions in Dublin are perfect for qualification. We had solid results earlier this year during the mixed relays,” he added.
In June, Gathimba and African champion Emily Ngii entered the Irish Marathon mixed relay Olympic trials, finishing second in 3:04:23, just behind the Czech team of Vit Hlavac and Eliska Martinkova (3:02:09). The 36-year-old exuded confidence in attaining the entry mark.
“Right now I am more confident than ever as far as attaining the World Championship qualification is concerned. My body is in perfect condition and feels up to the task ahead,” he noted.
After attaining qualification, Gathimba said his past World Championships performances will fuel his ambition for a podium finish.
“I generally tend to do well at the World Championships. From my previous results in the World Championships, I am optimistic I will be able to push for a podium finish this time round,” he added.
During the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Gathimba placed ninth in the 20km race in 1:18:34.
Spain’s Alvaro Martin (1:17:32), Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom (1:17:39) and Brazil’s Caio Bonfim (1:17:47) secured the podium in the Hungarian Capital.
At the 2022 edition in Eugene, Oregon, he narrowly missed out on the podium, placing fourth with a time of 1:19:25— trailing the Japanese duo of Toshikazu Yamanishi (1:19:07) and Koki Ikeda (1:19:14) with Karlstrom (1:19:18) sealing the podium.
Gathimba highlighted the importance of securing a medal at the Championships to add to his rich trophy cabinet.
“Winning a medal in Tokyo will be one of the highlights of my career. It is something I have been dreaming about,” he noted.
His focus during training will be on speed work. “I want to focus more on speed work with my coach. I have the endurance already.”
