Gathimba keeps walk dream alive
What you need to know:
- Commonwealth medallist upbeat
- Gathimba, who is also the 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, spoke of his desire to win a medal on his first appearance at the global championships.
IN DOHA
Veteran race walker Samuel Gathimba lines up in the final of men’s 20km race walk from 11:30pm Friday night at the World Championships in Doha.
Gathimba, who is also the 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, spoke of his desire to win a medal on his first appearance at the global championships.
“It is my dream to do well here, and I have done enough training towards that end.
“It’s not going to be easy because there are other good athletes in the field, but I am ready for the race,” the 32-year-old athlete said.
NOTHING UNIQUE
Gathimba downplayed the possible effects that the hot weather in Doha could have on him, saying weather conditions will not be unique to him on the day of the race.
“I am sure we will all face similar weather conditions and so it is nothing unique to me,” Gathimba told Nation Sport in Doha.
The 2016 African race walk champion will tackle the course centred around the Doha Corniche, a waterfront palm-fringed boulevard that also features twin carriageway that extends in a horseshoe shape stretching over seven kilometres along the Doha Bay and the city's sea-front.
Gathimba, with a season best time of one hour, 19 minutes and four seconds, faces 56 other athletes in the race, among them Heiki Takahashi from Japan who has a season best time of one hour, and 18.00 seconds, the fastest in the fields.
Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom has the second fastest time in the field of 1:18.07.
