Chris Musumba
22 July 2008
Nairobi — Africa 800m champion Pamela Jelimo's biggest test at the Beijing Olympic Games next month will come from Russia.
The 18-year-old Jelimo has a new world junior record of 1 minute, 54.97 seconds, set in the Paris Golden League meeting last Friday.
The season best time in the women's two-lap race was, however, set by the world 1,500 metres record holder, Yelena Soboleva, who ran 1:54.48 during the Russian Olympic trials in Moscow at the weekend.
"I am my best form, but my confidence has been shaken abit by the Russians," Jelimo said yesterday after arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from Paris.
"However, I get solace in the fact that Soboleva opted to set a fast time in her own country, and before the Olympics. This gives me time to analyse and plan on how to counter it. I will be running knowing that she is also in the race and surprises can occur."
Jelimo, together with world champion Janeth Jepkosgei, will face the task of containing the Russians, who have, for unknown reasons, opted to skip the lucrative Golden League competition this season.
"I do not understand why they have decided the skip the Grand Prix or Golden League. But that is no worry, I feel that if we were on the same track with her, then things would have been different," said Jelimo.
In Paris, Jelimo she won her fourth Golden League race to stay in contention for the Sh66 million jackpot with only two races in Zurich and Brussels in September remaining in the Golden League series.
The fact that Soboleva, a 1500m runner, went to the faster in the more competitive 800m event means there could be more surprises from the Russians in their quest for medals in Beijing next month.
Soboleva ascertained Russian depth in 800m, edging out Tatyana Andrianova who clocked 1:56.00 for second and Svetlana Klyuka 1:56.64.
European champion Olga Kotlyarova could only finish fifth in 1:58.12, and not make the Beijing line-up.
"We have not met with Soboleva, but Beijing will be the perfect place to test who is stronger," said Jelimo.
"In Berlin, the other two had bad results. Klyuka was eleventh clocking 2:03.17 while Andrianova did not even finish the race," said Jelimo.
Kenya's two 800m runners have discussed the Russian threat. Jelimo said even Jepkosgei was in agreement that it required the duo to go an extra mile in their training to lock out Soboleva.
"Running at home and before your own crowd is one thing, but competing at the big stage far away from home with all eyes on you is another. I have tested my strength against some of the best in Paris and I believe that was a stronger field than what I faced in Berlin," she said.
Head coach Julius Kirwa said that he would take some time to discuss Kenya's strategy now that the Russians were creeping menacingly into the picture. Kirwa, however, confirmed that he was happy with Jelimo's performance so far and what was remaining was the final polishing of her skills.
"Her strong run in the second lap has been spectacular. It is this we intend to build on and see that, together with Jepkosgei, they can set out a stronger pace that will be difficult for the opposition to hold on to," said Kirwa.
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