Kenya: Jepkosgei’s Quest for Gold Takes New Path

Chris Musumba

13 July 2011

Nairobi — It is not every season that World 800m silver medallist Janeth Jepkosgei arrives at the national championships without a strong build-up in her speciality.

But injuries and other commitments have forced the “Eldoret Express” to follow a different path as she seeks to recapture the gold medal she lost in Berlin two years ago in controversial circumstances to South African Caster Semenya.

In her shadows, a squad of emerging talent has tried to gain ground against her, but a glaring gap both in speed and skills has left many wondering if Jepkosgei will be able to improve on the silver medal she won in Berlin when she heads to Daegu for next month’s World championship.

“I am in a good shape. I opted to take a new turn in my career and have not been running at my full potential. Nobody wants to peak so early, after all,” she said.

That statement stands to be proved right on Thursday when she leads her opponents in the two-lap race.

“I have the potential and my body feels good. Hopefully, I will be able to get to the level I want, but I am focused on doing well in this championship and get it off my back,” she said.

Jepkosgei has only run four races at the international level and she has no win to her credit. But that should not cause any alarm bells as to whether “Eldoret Express” is about to pull to its final destination.

“If I remain injury-free, I have a long way to go. My body is in good shape and I can even run 1:57 at the moment. But I have no reason now to push that hard so I take every day at a time,” she said.

Indeed, Jepkosgei and many other 800m runners this season have had a relaxed competition.

Belarus Sviatlana Usovich 1:58.12 has the fastest time, with Jepkosgei in position 16 with a time of 1:59.05, which she set in Oslo Diamond league where she finished second.

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