By Gilbert Wandera
“Rule me out at your won peril.” That is the statement that Nixon Kiplimo Chepseba sounded when asked about his prospects at the London Olympic Games.
It is said, Kenya has the 1,500m gold medal to lose at the games, which starts on July 27, though the athletics programme does not kick off until August 3.
The team is made up of three athletes who have registered the best time this year and it is almost a foregone conclusion that a 1-2-3 finish for the Kenyans is very possible in London.
It is also a fact that when people talk about the team, they almost always think about Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop and world silver medalist Silas Kiplagat. Chepseba, a third member of the team is always mentioned as a by the way.
Chepseba however insists he should not be taken for granted and may be a surprise winner in the London games.
“I fully understand Kiprop and Kiplagat because we train together every day. I know their strength and weakness and that means I can beat them in London.
“I do not fear them because they are my team-mates and just like them, I expect to do well in London,” Chepseba said during yesterday’s training session at the Moi International Sports Cemtre, Kasarani.
Debut at Olympics
Being his first time to represent the country in the games, Chepseba admits that this remains a big motivation to want to win in London.
“It is my first time to run for the country in a senior event and for me it is a major motivation to win because it will determine my future chances of representing Kenya in other major championships.”
The 22-year-old was the 2011 Diamond League series winner in the 1,500m and has a personal best time of 3:29.90 Chepseba started training in 2009 and it is in the same year that he was selected in the African Junior team after winning in the trials held at Nyayo National Stadium.
He won a silver medal at the championships behind fellow Kenyan James Magut. The same year, he made his European debut winning at the Antwerp Gala and setting a meet record of 2:18.61 for the 1000m in Slovakia. He moved up to the senior cadre in 2010 and ran an indoor best of 3:35.82 for the 1500m in Leipzig in February 2010.
Chepseba established himself as a top level competitor during the 2011 indoor season. He defeated Silas Kiplagat at the Meeting Pas de Calais with a time of 3:30.94.
He continued his winning streak outdoors with consecutive 2011 Diamond League victories in Doha and Shanghai, setting a meet record of 3:31.42 to beat the Olympic champion Kiprop at the latter event. He was fifth at the Kenyan Championships, missing out on a place for the 2011 World Championships.
