Manangoi siblings eye titles

From: George Manangoi, Kumari Taki and Elijah Manangoi take a break after a training session on May 1, 2018 at Gems Cambridge International School ahead of the IAAF Diamond League season starting in Doha on May 5. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU |

What you need to know:

  • Season-opening race gets underway in Qatar on Friday.
  • Elijah and George target personal bests and victory in 800m and 1500m races respectively in Doha.

World champion siblings Elijah and George Manangoi are targeting victories and personal best times when this year’s Diamond League Series get underway in Doha on Friday.

Also targeting to shine Doha is middle distance runner Winnie Chebet, who is seeking to put behind her disappointment in Gold Coast Commonwealth Games to bag her maiden Diamond League victory.

The Manangoi siblings and Chebet are among athletes from Rongai Athletics Club putting final touches to their preparations at St James Cambridge, Nairobi, ahead of the Diamond League and the Athletics Kenya Track and Field Series.

The AK series heads to Mombasa on Friday. Elijah, the World 1,500m champion, who won the metric mile (1,500m) race last year in Doha, returns to Qatar’s capital not only win the 800m race but to also better his personal best of 1:44.7.

Elijah’s younger brother George, who is the World Under-18 1,500m champion, will do the battle in 1,500m. George will be making his debut at the Diamond League.

DL SERIES POINTS

While the 800m race will count towards Diamond League points, the metric mile competition will not.

“I want to lower by personal best in the two-lap race in Doha and to improve my speed and endurance purposely for my 1,500m specialty,” said Elijah, who is also the Commonwealth 1,500m champion.

Elijah, 25,  said his ultimate goal this season is to lower his personal best of 3:28.80 set last year in Monaco perhaps in a world record time. Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj holds the world record of 3:26.00 from Rome in 1998.

“I intend to improve my PB either in Rome or in Monaco,” said Manangoi, adding he has improved on his tactics under his coach Ben Ouma. “Ouma has changed my training, which is a little bit high with long runs,” Elijah said. “I now run 400m between 49 and 50 seconds and it feels great.”

Elijah said he is in in good shape and hopes to maintain his form the whole season. “It is a great challenge but I should manage with discipline and hard work in camp,” said Elijah.

In Doha, Elijah will be up against World 800m bronze medallist Kipyegon Bett from Kenya, World 800m silver medallist Adam Kszczot and Emmanuel Korir, the fastest 800m athlete last year.

George is delighted to make his first appearance at the Diamond League. “I am taking it seriously. It means a lot to me and I am ready for it,” said George, 18. “It’s a privilege. I’ll work to lower my PB.”

George, who has a PB of 3:36.20 set during the Commonwealth Games trials in February, this year in Nairobi, said his ultimate target is to win at World Junior Championships in July in Tampere, Finland.

Chebet, who failed to go past the 1,500m semi-finals at the 2017 London World Championships and exited in the semi-finals during the Commonwealths, said she is out to down her PB of 3:59.16 set last year in Rome.

“Victory will be great for me, it being my first in the Diamond League,” said Chebet, 27. “I am in great shape with no injuries.”