Chemos targets swift start at Shanghai Diamond League Meet
PHOTO | FRANCK FIFE | FILE Kenya's Milcah Chemos Cheywa celebrates after winning the women's 3000 metres steeplechase final at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on August 13, 2013.
What you need to know:
- It will be Chemos’ first event since wrapping up what was perhaps her most successful season by winning the Brussels Diamond League event on September 6, last year with a Meet Record (MR) time of 9:15.06.
- The 28-year-old had hinted earlier that she will not defend her Commonwealth Games title in Glasgow, Scotland set for July 23 to August 3.
Lady of the moment and World 3,000m steeplechase champion Milcah Chemos has said that she is determined to open her season on a high when she takes to the track at the Shanghai Diamond League on Sunday.
It will be Chemos’ first event since wrapping up what was perhaps her most successful season by winning the Brussels Diamond League event on September 6, last year with a Meet Record (MR) time of 9:15.06.
The victory in Brussels that followed similar exploits in Rome (9:16.14 SB), Birmingham (9:17.43 MR) and Monaco (9:14.17 MR, SB) saw Chemos once again claim the Series victory.
WOLRD CHAMPION
Before heading to Brussels, the 2010 Commonwealth Games champion, claimed the most precious jewel in her athletics collections when she won the World title in Moscow in August, having won bronze medals at 2009 Berlin and 2011 Daegu.
“I wouldn’t say I am in my best shape like last year when I won the Diamond Series and the World title,” said the 28-yar-old Chemos, who holds the Africa record time of 9:07.14 set June 7, 2012 in Oslo, Norway.
Chemos’ time is the fourth fastest ever over the distance but it’s Russian Gulnara Galkina, who holds the World Record time of 8:58.81 from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The 28-year-old had hinted earlier that she will not defend her Commonwealth Games title in Glasgow, Scotland set for July 23 to August 3.
However, Chemos will be aiming to reclaim her Africa title during the continental event due August 10 to 14 in Marrakech, Morocco.
Chemos opted not to defend the continental title she won in 2010 in Nairobi during the 2012 Africa Championships in Benin where compatriot Mercy Wanjiku won the title.
