The women’s 10,000m at the Athletics Kenya National Championships will take centre stage at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi from June 18 to 20, with places on Kenya’s team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow at stake.
The championships will serve as official trials for the Games, with Athletics Kenya (AK) set to use performances in Nairobi to select athletes who will represent the country at the international event scheduled for July 23 to August 2 in Scotland.
The winner of each event will earn automatic selection to the Commonwealth Games team, provided they meet all the required qualification standards set by the athletics body.
Attention will be firmly on African champion Diana Wanza, who has enjoyed a dominant 2026 season across both road and track competition. The 27-year-old opened her campaign with victory at the Azpeitia Half Marathon in Spain in March, where she clocked 1:07:31, before transitioning successfully to the track.
She went on to win the 10,000m at the African Championships trials in Kenya in April in 32:12.1, finishing ahead of Mercy Chepng’eno and Phena Yego, before producing another strong performance over 5,000m at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, where she recorded a personal best of 15:28.91.
Wanza’s standout moment came in May in Accra, Ghana, where she claimed her first continental title by winning the African Championships 10,000m gold medal in 31:33.26, confirming her rise as one of the leading distance runners on the continent.
“I have to make the team for the Commonwealth Games. I am hoping for a medal there too,” Wanza said after her appearance at the Kip Keino Classic, according to AK.
However, Wanza will face a strong and experienced field as she bids to secure a place on the Commonwealth Games team.
Defending national champion Loice Chemnung returns after winning last year’s title in 31:39.09, and has also enjoyed success on the road this season, including victory at the Barcelona Half Marathon in February, where she clocked 1:04:01 and a runner-up finish at the Boston Marathon in April in 2:19:35.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and 2024 New York Marathon champion Sheila Chepkirui adds more experience to the race, while African champion Janeth Chepng’etich further strengthens the field. National 5,000m champion Rebecca Mwangi and NCAA double champion Pamela Kosgei complete the highly competitive lineup.
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