Ndiku, teammates plot to stop Mo Farah at Commonwealth Games
PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO Caleb Mwangangi (centre) leads others in their 5000m heat during Safaricom National Athletics Championship at the Nyayo Stadium on June 5, 2014.
What you need to know:
- Three months after winning the World 3,000m Indoor title, Kenya’s Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku has set his sight on the 5,000m title at the Commonwealth Games due July 23 to August 33 in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Mwangangi, the 2011 All Africa Games and 2012 Africa 1,500m champion, is taking it easy despite his superlative form.
He is already being touted as the possible answer to Olympic and World 5,000m and 10,000m champion Mo Farah of Britain.
Three months after winning the World 3,000m Indoor title, Kenya’s Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku has set his sight on the 5,000m title at the Commonwealth Games due July 23 to August 33 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Perhaps, besides Uganda’s Moses Kipsiro, who won both the 10,000m and 5,000m titles at the 2012 Delhi 'Club' Games, Kenya’s only other threat is from Farah, who has confirmed participation in the Glasgow Games.
However, Mwangangi, the 2011 All Africa Games and 2012 Africa 1,500m champion, is taking it easy despite his superlative form.
“I am not worried about Farah since I have trained well and I am in great shape,” Mwangangi, who won the 5,000m race at the Prefontaine Classic on May 31 with a World lead time of 13:01.71. “But it will be suicidal to underrate Farah since he is a tough guy and has been elusive this season.”
Mwangangi said he is ready to work with World 5,000m bronze medallist Isaiah Kiplangat and Joseph Kitur and deliver back the 5,000m title.
“We will have to sit down and plan on the kind of game we shall play in Glasgow and deliver that gold medal,” said Mwangangi, the 2010 World Junior Cross Country gold medallist.
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Mwangangi (13:30.45) settled second behind Kitur (13:30.34) during the Safaricom National Championships at Nyayo Stadium last weekend. Kiplangat was given a wild card after settling fourth.
(READ: Upset galore as teams named)
Mwangangi, Kitur and Kiplangat will also represent the country at the Africa Athletics Championships due August 10 to 14 in Morocco.
Kenya had won the 5,000m title in three consecutive Commonwealth Games before Kipsiro halted their charge at the 2010 Delhi Games.
Daniel Komen won in 1998 Kuala Lumpur followed by Sammy Kipketer and Augustine Choge in 2002 Manchester and 2006 Melbourne respectively.
Mwangangi, won the World Indoor 3000m title in March, clocking 7:54.94, beating Kenyan born American Bernard Lagat (7:55.22) and Ethiopian Dejen Gebremeskel ( 7:55.39).
