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Kenya: Athletics - Focus Now On 1,500 Meter Runners
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The Nation (Nairobi)
22 July 2008
Posted to the web 22 July 2008
Nairobi
Once in a while, Kenya produces a 1500 metres runner who takes the world by storm. It has been an eight-year-long search for an heir to Noah Ng'eny, who won a gold at the 2000 Sydney Games.
Ng'eny faded out of the limelight in part due to injury. All eyes are now on All Africa Games champion Asbel Kiprop, Commonwealth Games 5,000m gold medallist Augustine Choge and new sensation Nicholas Kemboi.
Of the trio, Kemboi will be seeking his first cap while the other two have not been successful in their quest to be top shots.
Since the Sydney Games eight years ago, Kenya has never had a strong class of elite runners at the 1,500m.
Kenya has only won three silver medals at the World Championship in the 1500m through Wilfred Kirochi (1991), Ng'eny (1999) and Bernard Lagat (2001, then running for Kenya).
Shadrack Korir won a bronze in the Osaka World Championships last year. While Osaka might have been too soon to predict medals for Kiprop, he presently looks to be Kenya's greatest hope for the four lap in Beijing.
Kiprop paid dearly for poor tactical running in Osaka as his sprint was not strong enough to edge out Lagat, who now represents USA.
Kiprop (3:35.24) had to settle for the fourth slot behind Lagat (3:34.77), Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi (3:35.00) and Korir (3:35.04).
However, he is ready to pay up for the slip and wants the gold medal in Beijing.
Kiprop has promised a new strategy.
"I am not looking at the medal podium but I want to get to the finals first. That is my first assignment, then I will have to review and see how to tackle the others," he said.
Kiprop has finished behind Choge twice in the build-up to Beijing - at the trials at Nyayo and in Paris on Friday. Choge won the Paris Golden League meet in 3:32.40 while Kiprop was second in 3:32.78 ahead of Belal Mansoor Ali of Bahrain 3:33.12.
Choge still has the world leading time this season of 3:31.57 with Daniel Kipchirchir Komen 3:31.91 and Shedrack Korir 3:31.99 following.
However the two will not be in Beijing.
However, week ago in Rome Kiprop smoothly accelerated away from many of the best 1500m runners in the world to lower his nearly year-old personal best time by over three seconds to 3:31.64 and so take his most important career victory to this season.
"After the qualification process I hope all three of us will be in the finals where I believe team work will be important. It will not matter who takes the gold as long as it returns home to Kenya," he said.
For Kemboi who has a personal best time of 3:33.72 he will be making his maiden appearance in Kenyan colours and is not keen to disappoint his fans. He ran 3:50.83 at the one mile distance in Oslo last month and the 19 year-old is ready to sparkle at the biggest stage.
"I fear no one. I have done my part and deserve to be in this team. Now all I need to do is concentrate and see how far I will be able to go. There are other bigger names here but I believe I have the potential to bring them down," he said.
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Kemboi who comes from Koibatek has been able to win in Casablanca and Zaragoza meetings this season. His ambition to go to Osaka last year hit a snag when he finished fifth in the trials and now, the coastline is clear for him to dock.
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