National 400m hurdles champion Kipkorir Rotich is eyeing places in Team Kenya for the 2027 African Games and World Athletics Championships, with faith and hard work as the foundation of his preparations.
The 28-year-old hurdler believes putting God first will be central to his ambitions as he prepares for what promises to be a demanding season. “For the 2027 season, I am putting God first above everything for Him to guide my way,” Kipkorir said. Beyond his faith, the national champion knows consistent hard work and discipline will be vital to achieve his targets.
“The target is to put in hard work and focus on doing my best throughout the season.”
His immediate ambition is to earn selection for Kenya’s teams to the African Games in Cairo, Egypt, and the World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China, where he hopes to measure himself against the continent’s and world’s best.
“I am targeting a slot in the team that will represent Kenya at the African Games and also the World Championships,” he said.
However, Kipkorir is not content despite having established himself as national champion. He wants to translate his domestic success into international honours. “I want a bigger title than the one I already have, and hopefully I can chase it at the World Championships and African Games.”
He is also targeting a significant improvement in his personal best, with ambitions of breaking into the 47-second bracket before the World Championships.
“I also want to lower my time. I want to lower my time from 48 seconds so that by the time we are heading for the World Championships I am running 47 seconds,” he added. Kipkorir holds a personal best of 48.99, set in March this year when he stormed to victory at the Kip Keino Classic.
He has already begun preparations for the new campaign, revealing that he is currently undergoing an initial loading phase as he builds towards peak fitness. “I have already started my build-up for the next season. I am doing some loading,” he said.
The hurdler plans to make his first competitive appearance at the second Athletics Kenya Track and Field Weekend Meeting, scheduled for April 2-3 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, where he hopes to assess his early-season form. Kipkorir will enter the new campaign encouraged by an impressive 2026 season, during which he secured the national title and represented Kenya at several international competitions. “2026 has been a good year for me. I was able to achieve a lot and also represent my country in various competitions,” he said.
He opened his season in emphatic fashion at the Kip Keino Classic on April 24, winning in 48.99 ahead of Edward Ngunjiri (51.10) and Moitalel Mpoke (51.57). He subsequently featured in Kenya’s men’s 4x400m relay team at the World Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, on May 2, where the quartet finished sixth in 3:02.70.
At the African Senior Championships in Accra, Ghana, on May 14, he finished eighth in the 400m hurdles final after clocking 1:08.56. He returned to winning ways on the domestic circuit on June 20, claiming the national 400m hurdles title in 49.53. Wiseman Were finished second in 50.39, while Mpoke was third in 50.53.
The victory earned him selection to Kenya’s squad for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. However, his campaign ended in the heats after he clocked 50.39 to finish fourth in his race, missing out on a semi-final berth.
