Cheruiyot leads three-pronged title assault in 10,000m at Worlds
What you need to know:
- Cherono, Kisa and Kibiwott to line up in women’s 5,000m race in China
- Cheruiyot, who failed to defend her two crowns during the 2013 World Championships in Moscow after taking a maternity leave, will only take a shot at the 10,000m title.
Former World 5,000m and 10,000m champion, Vivian “Pocket rocket” Cheruiyot, is ready to re-launch at World Championships that go down August 22 to 30 in Beijing, China.
Cheruiyot, who failed to defend her two crowns during the 2013 World Championships in Moscow after taking a maternity leave, will only take a shot at the 10,000m title.
Cheruiyot predicted an explosive partnership with Betsy Saina, who finished second in the trials, and 2012 Olympics 10,000m silver medallist, saying they will strategise for the race well.
Kipyego got a wild card top the team after she failed to finish her race at the trails when she suffered muscle cramps.
“I am happy to be back. The world title is now on my mind and I promise to try my best to reclaim it even though the World Championships is a bit competitive,” said Cheruiyot adding that winning the trials hot conditions was fine since she expects similar conditions in Beijing. “The weather will be hot and humid in Beijing but that is fine with me.”
Cheruiyot said he won’t double but explained that Kenya still has a strong team in the 5,000m in the likes of World 5,000m silver medallist, Mercy Cherono, Janet Kisa and Viola Kibiwott.
“I am comfortable with the 10,000m race at the moment but hopefully I will double at the 2016 Rio Olympics,” said Cheruiyot, who warned about the challenge from Ethiopia. “Ethiopians remain our real threat but we shall strategise well for them,” said Cheruiyot.
The Ethiopian team has the 2013 World Championships 10,000m bronze medallist, Belaynesh Oljira, Gelete Burka, who lost in 1,500m heats at the 2013 Moscow Worlds, and Alemitu Haroye, fourth at the 2015 World Cross Country.
Cheruiyot rause to the top has been gradual and exquisite, winning silver in 5,000m at the 2007 Osaka World Championships followed by gold in 5,000m at 2009 Berlin World Championships. She would follow it up with a double in 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2011 Daegu World Championships before silver in 5,000m and bronze in 10,000m at the 2012 London Olympics.
The 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games 5,000m gold medalist spiced up her track show with victory at 2011 World Cross Country Championships.
Saina, who will be glad to don the national colours for the first time, said she is happy to partner with Cheruiyot, who is her role model at the Worlds. “I have prepared well in the USA, Iten and here at Kasarani,” Saina said. “We have had weeks of polishing up especially on our finishing speed,” said Saina.
UNION JACK FLAG
Meanwhile, a number of British athletes have expressed dismay over the absence of a Union Jack flag on their kits for this month’s World Championships in Beijing.
The design for Great Britain’s kits at the London 2012 Olympics incorporated the Union flag, but the new design does not, being mainly blue with a large white V at the top of the vest’s front.
It features logos for kit manufacturer Nike and British Athletics, but not the British flag.
Britain’s Olympic long-jump champion Greg Rutherford led the backlash, tweeting a picture of his vest alongside the words: “Well this isn’t right ... Where’s the Union Jack!?!?” (additional reporting by AFP)
