Kenya's best female athlete Sum now targets world title defence
Eunice Sum displays her Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) Female Sports Personality of the Year trophy on January 16, 2015. Soya panel chairperson Evelyn Watta set the mood by revealing that they had had problems coming up with the federation of the year because most sports bodies are currently wrangling. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Sum, 26, said lack of proper planning and poor tactics saw the Kenyan team settle for silver at last year’s inaugural World Relays Championships, losing to the United States of America.
- Jarmila Kratochvílová of Czech Republic holds the world record time of 1:53.28, set on July 26 in 1983.
- Pamela Jelimo’s time is third-fastest in the history of the two-lap race.
The 2014 Female Sports Personality of the Year, Eunice Sum, is focused on making amends for last year's heartbreak in the 4x800m race at the World Relays Championships due May in the Bahamas.
Sum, 26, said lack of proper planning and poor tactics saw Kenyans settle for silver at last year’s inaugural World Relays Championships, losing to the United States of America.
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Sum's team of the 2007 World 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei, Sylvia Chesebe and Agatha Jeruto ran a national record of 8:04.28 but still lost to the USA team, which clocked 8:01.58 in the race.
But the world champion has her sights set on toppling the USA team for the title in the Bahamas after which she plans to retain her World title in August in Beijing, China.
“We went into the race without a good plan. We even didn’t know who would start or finish the race among us,” said Sum. “We needed a strong starter and anchor. We have learnt from our mistakes and we should make amends by bringing home the gold.”
Sum noted that defeating Olympic champion and home favourite Mariya Savinova en route to winning the World title in 2013, where she clocked her personal best of 1:57:38, was a great achievement but defending it at the World Championships due August 22-30 in Beijing will be a tall order.
“It becomes easy to plan well when you are many from the same country in the final and that is what I will be rallying for in China if I make it, God willing,” said Sum.
PERSONAL BEST
Sum, who won the Commonwealth Games title in 2:00.31 in Glasgow, Scotland, before capturing the Africa title in Marrakech in 1:59.45 last year after silver in 2012, said she will try to lower her personal best this year.
“I tried to lower the time last year, but I failed. I will consult widely this year to see if I will improve on my timing,” said Sum, who started her build-up in Eldoret in October with speed work.
Sum said it will take great sacrifice, focus and patience to take a shot at the world record that has stood for three decades.
Jarmila Kratochvílova of the Czech Republic holds the world record time of 1:53.28, set on July 26 in 1983. The only Kenya to come close to smashing the record is the 2008 Olympic champion Pamela Jelimo on August 29, 2008 in Zurich.
Jelimo’s time is the third-fastest in the history of the two-lap race, behind the 1:53.43 mark set by Russian Nadezhda Olizarenko on July 27, 1980 in Moscow.
