400m: Raymond keen to make mark in English capital

Tulane University head coach Eric Peterson chats his with his athletes Emmanuel Rotich (c) and Raymond Kibet after training session at Nyayo Stadium on June 20, 2017.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO, STANDARD

Kibet eyes to race under 44 seconds

US-based university student hopes he can improve on his Personal Best time.

There is a ray of hope for Kenya as Raymond Kibet leads Collins Omae and Boniface Mweresa in men’s 400m to the 16th IAAF World Championships which starts on Friday in London, England.

Kibet, a freshman at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA where he is studying Petroleum Engineering wants to be remembered as the best ever 400m sprinter in the country.

The 21-year old was a member of Team Kenya to the 2016 Rio Olympics Games where he did not make it past the preliminary stages. He won gold at the All Africa Games as part of the 4x400m relay squad in Congo Brazzaville in 2015.

Kibet, who clocked a Personal Best of 45.21 seconds in June this year, in the USA to qualify for the World Championships won the Kenyan trials, finishing ahead of Omae and Mweresa.

Kibet draws his inspirations from Nicholas Bett’s Beijing performance in 2015.

Bett surprised many by winning gold in 400m hurdles, a rare event for Kenya, a country known to produce the best middle and long distance runners.

“Since relocating to States, I have really improved on my sprinting. Previously, I was pondering switching to 800m. But under the guidance of my coach Eric Peterson, I have decided to stick to the long sprints,” said Kibet, a National Collegiate Athletic Association runner.

“My aim in sprints is quite simple, I want to be known as Kenya’s best 400m runner ever. I’m enjoying training in great facilities that will propel me to my dream of being a world best sprinter I’m happy I have adopted well with life there. I have connected well both in class and track.”

Kibet added: “I’m targeting a sub-44 seconds in London, which should push me into the final and from there everything will fall into place.”

The Moi High School Kabarak alumnae was accompanied by his coach Peterson at the trials who was optimistic on the chances of his athlete.

“It’s my first time working with athletes from Kenya at the University, I like his work ethics, he has good speed endurance and hopes he stays sharp all the way to World Championship,” Peterson said after the trials.

Omae, meanwhile said his main target in London is coming out of the heats.

He will running his first 400m event at global stage since stepping up from 200m.