Linet Masai eyes successful marathon debut

Linet Masai during a training in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on October 15, 2018 ahead of Amsterdam Marathon slated for Sunday. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • Masai will come up against former 5,000m World Champion Meseret Defar of Ethiopia, who will also make her marathon debut.
  • Masai had a stellar performance in her career with her star shining in 2007, when she bagged gold in the junior category at the World Cross Country Championships held in Mombasa.
  • Her try in the 10,000m race saw her clinch a bronze medal during the 2008 Olympics Games held in Beijing, China, before securing the gold medal in the same distance in 2009 during the World Championships in Berlin, Germany.

Former 10,000m world champion Linet Masai, who had an excellent career on the track and cross country events, is now set to debut in the marathon.

Masai, who is also the 2007 World Junior Cross Country champion, has been named in the elite field for this year's Amsterdam Marathon set for Sunday in the Netherlands.

Masai, who has been training in Eldoret and Kaptagat under the watchful eye of world record holder Eliud Kipchoge's coach, Patrick Sang, is eyeing a good run after fruitful preparations.

“My training for the marathon race started four months ago since it’s my first attempt at this stage," she said.

The athlete picked a knee injury that kept her out of competition for a long time, before opting to go for maternity leave.

“This helped me because by the time I was starting my build-up training, it had completely healed,” said Masai, who is under the PACE Sports Management.

Masai has been training with Global Communications Management athletes and her experience with the best marathoners is what she is banking on for a good race on Sunday.

“I have been training with Eliud Kipchoge, Geoffrey Kamworor among others and they have given me good tips. I don’t want to say anything for now because it’s my debut race in 42km,” added the athlete.

Masai will come up against former 5,000m World Champion Meseret Defar of Ethiopia, who will also make her marathon debut.

Masai had a stellar performance in her career with her star shining in 2007, when she bagged gold in the junior category at the World Cross Country Championships held in Mombasa.

Her try in the 10,000m race saw her clinch a bronze medal during the 2008 Olympics Games held in Beijing, China, before securing the gold medal in the same distance in 2009 during the World Championships in Berlin, Germany.

In 2010, Masai was back again in the World Cross Country Championships held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, where she bagged silver medal in the senior category.

It was double entry for her in the World Championships held in Daegu, South Korea, where she emerged sixth in the 5,000m and won bronze in the 10,000m behind her compatriots Vivian Cheruiyot, who clinched gold and Sally Kipyego, who managed to win silver.

Her comeback saw her emerge fourth in the Great North Run Half Marathon clocking 1:08:11.