Kenya's world champs turn focus on Olympics

World champions Ezekiel Kemboi, Julius Yego and Nicholas Bett are already strategising on how they will again conquer at the 2016 Rio Olympics Games.

Kemboi, who has etched his name in history as World’s greatest steeplechaser when he claimed his fourth consecutive 3,000m steeplechase title, said he will decide about his future after winning in 2016 in Rio.

Kemboi, 33, who captained the triumphant Team Kenya for the World Championships that ended on Sunday in Beijing, China, said he will be a happy man to retire after leading the team to their best ever show at the worlds.

For the first time, Kenya topped the medal standing at the World Championships, beating heavyweights Jamaica and the United States.

Team Kenya hauled a total of 16 medals; seven gold, six silver and three bronze. Jamaica settled second with 7-2-3 and United States third with 5-6-6.

“I have represented Kenya for the last 16 years, winning 10 gold medals including four from Worlds and two from Olympics but this is the best feeling ever after the country topped the medal standing at the World Championships for the first time,” said Kemboi, who wants to make history at the 2016 Olympic Summers Games by going for a hat trick.

Kemboi who won at the 2009 Berlin and 2011 Daegu Worlds, equaled his coach Moses Kiptanui’s record of three wins in 2013 Moscow.

“I now want more glory in Rio after 2004 Athens and 2012 London Olympics,” said Kemboi after welcoming his charges on return from the World Championships.

He hastened that the country can do better if more facilities and efforts are put in place to nurture talent especially in field and sprints races.

“We need to create and mould new talent instead of relying on raw talent alone. The only way out is have facilities,” he explained.

Kemboi will wrap up his season with the last leg of the 2015 Diamond League in Brussels on September 11.

FIRST KENYAN

Yego made history as the first Kenyan to win in field events at the World Championships after snatching javelin gold in a World Lead and Africa Record throw of 92.72m as Bett also made history as the first Kenyan to win in sprints, claiming the 400m hurdles title.

“After clinching Africa and Commonwealth Games crowns last year, I called on God to delivery Worlds victory and he never disappointed,” said Yego on arrival as he cuddled his six-month-old son Jarvis accompanied by spouse Sincy, who had come to receive him at the JKIA.

“My focus next year God willing, is the precious of them all, the Olympic gold,” said Yego, who described beating Jamaica and US to top the medal standing as one of his best moments besides winning the World title.

His local coach Joseph Mosonik said Yego is capable of breaking the world record that stands at 98.48m.

Yego will be looking for his second Diamond League victory when he wraps up his season in Brussels on September 11. He claimed his maiden DL victory in Birmingham with a Championships record breaking throw of 91.39.

Bett, who dedicated his victory to his first born daughter Nicole and his four-months-old twins, said 2016 Rio Olympics will be on fire.

“The victory in Beijing has inspired me to go for the Olympic title,” said Bett in company of his three-year-old daughter Nicole.