Yego seeks golden continental exit in Accra showpiece

Julius Yego competes at the Kip Keino Classic/ HANDOUT

Despite a stuttering start to his 2026 campaign, Kenyan javelin great Julius Yego remains firmly focused on hunting a record-extending sixth African Championships title in Accra, Ghana, later this month.

The continental showpiece is slated for May 12-17 at the University of Ghana Stadium, where the veteran thrower hopes to once again underline his dominance on African soil.

Yego tested his early-season sharpness at the Kip Keino Classic on April 24, narrowly missing out on the podium after producing a best mark of 79.87m to place fourth. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage claimed top honours with a massive 89.28m effort, while Germany’s Thomas Rohler (83.33m) and South Africa’s Douw Smit (81.19m) completed the podium places.

However, Yego remains bullish about heading to Accra and returning home with another gold medal. “I am going as the defending champion, and of course, I want to defend my title,” Yego said.

Yego hinted that the Accra showdown could be his final appearance at the championships, adding that ending with gold would be the perfect closing chapter to a fairytale continental reign.

“This might perhaps be my last African Championships, so I want to go there, enjoy the competition and come back with the gold,” he added.

The former world champion described the Kip Keino Classic as an ideal stepping stone in his build-up. “The Kip Keino was a good buildup for the African Championships. I really wanted to compete here,” he said.

However, the Kenyan ace admitted he had hoped for a bigger mark on home soil. “Of course, I wanted a bigger throw, over 80m, but 79m is the mark that came. Javelin is all about technique, and I think my technique was not good,” he said.

Yego also knew Pathirage would provide stern competition in Nairobi. “Competing against the number one (Pathirage), I knew it was going to be tough.”

The Sri Lankan currently holds the world-leading mark in men’s javelin after launching 89.37m at the Sri Lankan Champions Track and Field Meet.

With the Kip Keino Classic marking his first outing of the year, Yego was satisfied with the overall outcome, particularly after the frustrating end to his 2025 season at the Tokyo World Championships. “It was good, the competition was okay, and I am happy to have finished all six throws after having exited the World Championships last year after only three throws.”

In Tokyo, Yego bowed out after the third round following a groin injury setback. Despite the premature exit, he still finished sixth courtesy of his 85.54m effort in round two.

Heading into Accra, Yego downplayed talk of chasing huge distances, insisting titles are won through execution rather than numbers alone. “Winning the championship, you don't have to have a big throw, but a good throw is very important.”

As the countdown to the continental championships gathers pace, Yego says he will manage his preparations carefully to avoid unnecessary injuries. “I don't want to rush myself. I understand my body now. I am not young, so I have to take it step by step. Having had injuries before, going step by step is the only way.”

Yego is set to be joined in Accra by Boniface Kilonzo and Alexander Kiprotich. The 37-year-old first announced himself at the 2012 African championships in Porto-Novo, Benin, winning gold with a throw of 76.68m. Ghana’s John Ampomah secured silver with 70.65m, while Nigeria’s Kenechukwu Ezeofor claimed bronze with 69.58m.

He successfully defended his crown at the 2014 edition in Marrakech, Morocco, uncorking 84.72m as Egypt’s Ihab Abdelrahman El Sayed (83.59m) and South Africa’s Robert Oosthuizen (77.81m) followed. Yego then completed a hat-trick in Asaba, Nigeria, in 2018 with a winning mark of 77.34m.

South Africa’s Phil-Mar Van Rensburg took silver with 76.57m, while Nigeria’s Samuel Adams claimed bronze on 75.69m. He reclaimed the fourth title in 2022 at Port Louis, Mauritius, with a throw of 79.62m, ahead of Ihab Abdelrahman (77.12m) and South Africa’s Phillippus Rensburg (74.10m). At the most recent championships in 2024 in Douala, Cameroon, Yego sealed a fifth crown with 80.24m as Nigeria’s Chinecherem Nnamdi (79.22m) and Egypt’s Mustafa Khaliq (77.25m) rounded off the podium.