Kenya: Koech After Daegu Gold

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

William Njuguna

18 July 2011

Athlete aims to bounce back in South Africa after Punta Umbria failure earlier in the year

Isaiah Kiplangat Koech says he is determined to bounce back at the world championships in Daegu after a poor display at the world cross country event in Punta Umbria, Spain in March. The former world youth champion had been tipped to carry the day at the cross country but finished a disappointing tenth.

Koech now says he has learnt the lessons from Punta Umbria. On Saturday he bounced back to form to win the men’s 5,000m by posting 13:21.91. The athlete nicknamed “Chairman” because he happens to be Athletics Kenya boss Isaiah Kiplagat’s namesake, says the focus now is to beat Ethiopia’s Imane Merga in the 12-lap race. “Merga will be my toughest competitor. He has the fastest time in the world and I have the second fastest time so he will be my biggest rival in Daegu,” he says.

Koech says his motivation is that he missed a medal in Spain. He now vows to intensify training and work on tactics for the world event.

“I was disappointed to miss a medal in Punta Umbria and I’m going to channel all my energies with the sole aim of winning a medal in Daegu to please myself and make the country proud as well,” Koech adds.

He clocked 12:54.59 in Rome when recording the second fastest time of the season. On the Kenya championship and also the national trials for the world championship and All Africa Games teams. He said: “I was probably the youngest in the field. I saw Eliud Kipchoge and Mark Kiptoo, very experienced runners, in the race but I knew coming into the last lap I was faster than them and that is the most important part of the race,” Koech says.

He observes that race conditions were not ideal with the sweltering heat but says he saved his energy for the final part of the race.

“The conditions were tough but I was always first or second throughout the race. On the last lap I had enough strength so I kicked and found the speed.” Koech says with the experience of Kipchoge and Longosiwa, Kenya are in a very strong position to win medals despite the opposition expected from Ethiopian. Koech said he may run at one or two Grand Prix races before the world championship. “I seek to improve my speed for the world championship,” he concluded.

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