Sammy Kitula
24 July 2008
Nairobi — Unlike their male counterparts in the 1,500 metres, Kenyan women are finding it hard to underline their authority in this race.
As remarkable as it may seem, given the prominent role played by the country's female distance runners since the early 1990s, Kenya is still awaiting its first women's Olympic champion.
But the overdue gold medal entry into Kenyan Olympic history should be achieved if the trio of Irene Jelagat, Viola Kibiwot and Nancy Lagat will live up to their expectations.
After winning gold medal during the Beijing World Junior Championships two years ago, 20-year old Jelagat will be returning to Beijing and hopes to repeat that achievement, this time, a senior.
"I still remember that time as if it were yesterday. I'd really want to win at the Olympics and write history as the first Kenyan to bag a medal at the Games," said Jelagat.
With a cash boost of Sh100 million dedicated by the government to the Beijing Olympic Games, the athletes have the capability of bringing home a haul of medals and emulate the 2006 world junior team that won six gold medals.
They are not only big names locally, but also have over the years been causing track havoc in the European athletic circuit by smashing one record after another.
"My victory in the Paris Grand Prix secured me a slot in the team. Although I won during the trials (4:12.70), I didn't have the qualification time, hence making the race very important," she said.
What was witnessed at the Nyayo National Stadium during final trials was a classic example of what to expect in Beijing when the most prestigious sports gathering gets underway from August 15 to 24.
As usual, Kenya's main speciality is in the middle and long distance races, with the competition coming from perennial rivals Ethiopia and Morocco.
"There are many runners out there who are very good. The likes of Romanian Liliana Popescu (4:00.35), Gelete Burka of Ethiopia (4:01.44) and Shannon Rowbury of US, who has run 4:01.61 as her best," said Jelagat.
But the Kenyans will have a reprieve after Popescu was dropped from Romania's team for the Beijing Olympics after failing a drug test. The Romanian tested positive for an unidentified banned substance on May 29 in Algiers.
This factor notwithstanding, Kenyan coaches are under pressure to define new tactics to keep their opponents at bay.
"The main problem we have with this race is that the athletes had very little time to train together, unlike other races. The three have only had two weeks to practice together and this in my view gives our opponents means of picking on us," said head coach, Julius Kirwa.
Junior revelations
Jelagat is confident of making a podium finish at the Olympics. "I will be facing very strong competition but I believe I have a good chance of getting one of the places on offer," she said.
During the national trials, Jelagat ran 4:17.0 after having clocked 4:15.6 to win the Police championships a fortnight before. The athlete, who took junior gold in Beijing with 4:0.88, has a personal best of 4:04.52 set last weekend at the Paris Grand Prix.
The junior ace has established seniors and former junior revelations, Kibiwot and Lagat as her source of inspiration. Kibiwot is the Kingston 2002 1,500m junior champion while Lagat won the 2000 edition in Chile.
25-year old Kibiwot competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics and finished fifth, but has vowed to make it this time. "Just as I was during my junior days in this race, so will I ensure that I've regained that form," she said.
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