World 3,000m steeplechase champion eyes rebound after hamstring injury

**Kirui of Kenya clears the final hurdle ahead of her compatriot Cheywa to win the women's 3000 metres steeplechase finaat the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow**

A career-threatening hamstring injury seemed to have take the wind out of her sails, but World 3,000m steeplechase champion Milcah Chemos Cheywa is not about to hang her spikes.

Chemos,28, is already training her eyes on retaining her title at the World Championships in Beijing from August 22-30.

"I remember feeling a slight pain in Moscow two years ago but I overcame it and held on for the win. However, when I ran in Glasgow, (Commonwealth Games last year) in the last lap, it was really getting serious and couldn't hold on anymore. The hamstring just snapped," she said.

Chemos is now hopeful she will showcase a strong performance at 'The Birds Nest' stadium and prove her critics wrong; that her 2013 gold was no fluke.

The Africa steeplechase record holder Chemos (9:07.14) is happy to have broken the jinx in Moscow. Now she wants to do better in Beijing.

After going through surgery in India to heal the hamstring last October, Chemos believes she is ready to see her legs propel her to the world title again.

"Time is running out and I am really looking forward to start my training. Besides defending the title in Beijing, I want to ensure we continue to dominate the event," she added.

Chemos is the only Kenyan to have won gold in the water and barriers race at the World Championships after Uganda's Dorcas Inzikuru claimed the maiden title in Helsinki, Finland, in 2005.

Russian Volkova Yetkatrina won in 2007 in Osaka and Spanish Marta Domininguez claimed the honours in Berlin in 2009. Russian Yuliya Zarudneva won in Daegu in 2011. Zarudneva was later banned for doping.

However, Chemos is not worried about the doping vice and is keen to win clean in Beijing.

"Doping is tainting our sport especially if our Kenyan athletes are involved. Why would someone do it. For what gain? I am telling my colleagues in athletics to run and win clean," said Chemos.