It's time for Kenya to regain lost 5,000m glory, says Choge

The 2006 Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion Augustine Choge has said his focus is to bring the Club Games title back to Kenya.

Choge, who is also the 2012 World Indoor 3,000m silver medallist, said it’s high time Kenya reclaimed its 5,000m supremacy during this year's Games set for July 23 to August 3 in Glasgow, Scotland.

“My desire is to reclaim the title I won back in 2006. I won’t be happy if the crown continues staying out of the country,” said Choge, who won the 1,500m title during the Kenya Police Service Meet last weekend in 3:35.5, beating the reigning World Indoor 3,000m champion Caleb Mwangangi to second place in 3:35.8. Abednego Chesebe settled for bronze in 3:39.0.

“I am just looking for speed in the metric mile race,” said the police officer, the 2003 World Youth 3,000m and 2004 World Junior 5,000m champion, who will line up for 1,500m race at the Prefontaine Classic on May 31 in Eugene, USA and 3,000m at Hengelo Meet on June 17 in The Netherlands.

Choge also wants to improve on his 5,000m personal best of 12:53.66 set on July 8, 2005 in Rome, Italy. “It’s almost nine years since that achievement hence it’s a high time I improved it,” said the 27-year-old.

“I believe I have matured well and glory will be Kenya’s at Glasgow.”

TOUGH CHALLENGE

It will not be an easy run for Choge during the national trials for the Commonwealth Games with the World 5,000m bronze medallist Isaiah Kiplangat and 2012 London Olympics 5,000m bronze medallist Thomas Longosiwa set to feature.

Choge’s gold at 2006 is Kenya’s last major silverware over the distance in major championships races. Benjamin Limo won Kenya its last World Championships gold that was the country seventh victory at the 2005 Helsinki Worlds.

John Ngugi is the only Kenyan to have won an Olympic 5,000m medal, a feat he accomplished at the 1998 Seoul Summer Games.

In Commonwealth Games, Kenya had dominated in three consecutive editions before Uganda’s Moses Kipsiro rocked the boat by winning the 5,000m title at the 2010 Delhi Games.

Daniel Komen won the 5,000m crown at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur before Sammy Kipketer and Augustine Choge went for similar exploits at the 2002 Manchester and 2006 Melbourne Games respectively.

It’s at the Delhi Games that Kipsiro beat Eliud Kipchoge and Mark Kiptoo to gold before going on to win the 10,000m title that his fellow countryman Boniface Kiprop had won in 2006.

It’s not clear whether Kipsiro will defend his title but the entry of Olympics and World champion Mo Farah from Britain promises to make the battle for gold a pulsating one.