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Kenya: Post-Election Violence Cost Country Medals, Claims Koech
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The East African Standard (Nairobi)
13 March 2008
Posted to the web 12 March 2008
James Waindi
Nairobi
Olympics 3,000m steeplechase bronze medallist, Paul Kipsiele Koech, said lack of proper training affected Kenya's athletes at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia.
Kipsiele, who was picked to captain the team to Valencia after Wilfred Bungei pulled out due to injury, said the difficulties encountered by the athletes from the post-election violence cost them medals at the global event last weekend.
"Most of us were affected by the post-election skirmishes and this is what reflected in Valencia. With the kind of preparations we had, I can say our overall result was satisfactory because we were forced to skip some of our training sessions because of violence especially in Rift Valley Province which was worst affected," said Kipsiele who won a silver medal in the 3,000m at a time of 7:49.05. He was beaten by Teriku Bekele, a younger brother to Ethiopia's track star Kenenisa Bekele. Bekele posted a time of 7:48.23.
"The performance should however not raise alarm to our local fans, because we can certainly do better than this with proper training and in a good state of mind," added Kipsiele of arrived from Valencia, Spain on Tuesday evening.
Kenya only managed two medals and finished 18th overall, as rivals Ethiopia dominated the long distances in both the men and women categories and finished third overall behind USA and Russia.
Kenya's medals came through Kipsiele (3,000m) and Daniel Kipchirchir Komen who finished second behind another Ethiopian Deresse Mekonnen in the 1,500m, clocking 3:38.54. Mekonnen won at a time of 3:38.23.
Kipsiele said he was now turning his focus on the track and fields trials that will determine participants at the Olympics.
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"I now want to turn my focus on the Olympics in August and I certainly have to be at my best during the trials set for July," said Kipsiele who trains in Sotik.
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