Nairobi — With a personal best of 11.75, Monica Safania is still a few yards off the pace for the qualification standard of 11.08 for the World Championships, but the Kenya Police athlete says training with African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala has inspired her to dream of qualification.

Safania has been training with Omanyala at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani for the last two years, and she says his success has been a source of inspiration.

"I have really improved even with my personal best. When I started I was really struggling, but now thanks to training with him, I have really improved. Before, hitting sub 12 was a lot of work but now I am doing it with ease," Safania told Capital Sport.

She adds; "Ferdi has really pushed me and has been a big source of support. Even the shoe I am competing with I got it with his help. He inspires us a lot with his success and we want to work to get where he is."

Safania finished third at the National Championships last week, and she hopes she can do better this time at the Trials, and possibly have a stab at the qualification standard.

"I have prepared well for the Trials and I feel ready. My initial target is to go and run my personal best. I am not saying that miracles can happen, but if I work enough to earn me a qualification time, it will be a dream come true," she adds.

She says her biggest piece of work this week has been improving her starts, which she says have been a small let down in her ambition to lower her time.

"I have been trying to get the small technicalities at the start. That is where the biggest problem is, just trying to move well from the blocks," she added.

Only three athletes, Safania, Esther Mbagari and Eunice Kadogo have been invited for the 100m race at the National Trials.