Olympic champ Faith Kipyegon dreaming of marathon transition

Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 6, 2021. Faith Kipyegon of Kenya celebrates winning the gold medal REUTERS

Two-time Olympic 1500m champion Faith Chepng’etich Kipyegon is keen to follow in the steps of Eliud Kipchoge–stage good shows on the track and graduate to marathon in future.

Kipyegon, who has been in imperious form this season, said she will take enough time on the track before stepping to road running.

“I want to follow in the footsteps of Eliud Kipchoge. I am planning to transit to marathon like him in future,” said Kipyegon

She spoke during a show at Citizen TV on Tuesday night alongside world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge.

Golden moment

“It is amazing to win Olympic gold and win the Diamond League trophy. I felt emotional listening to the national anthem played.

“After maternity, it was no easy. It needed a lot of sacrifice. Being a mother makes me work hard,” she said.

In 2007, she literally benched Ethiopian superstars who Kenyan men drool over in beauty and style at the World Athletics Championships inside Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London.

The then new world champion is no longer that little girl from far-flung Ndabibit Village in Kuresoi, Nakuru–who is best remembered in global athletics circles for running barefoot to finish fourth at the World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in 2010.

If you meet Kipyegon in her room at Global Sports Communication camp in Kaptagat listening to a mix of Tanzania Bongo Music super star, Diamond Platnumz–and you will confirm her unbridled love for the Tanzanian hip hop music.

Her well-manicured lips, the pink-dyed finger nails, the bright face and blow-dried soft hair tells a lot about Kipyegon, who made her maiden trip abroad on July 4, 2011 for the IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France.

She has come a long way from the clean-shaven Winners Girls High School, who raced her peers to the ground as a junior.

Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge celebrates after winning gold medal in men's marathon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, yesterday morning. [AP]

On his part, Kipchoge said: “I felt great. The goodness is the inspiration and history. I am the third person to win back to back gold at the Olympic marathon gold. I am happy to have gone into history books.”

Simple lifestyle

This is after Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila (1960 and 1964) and Germany’s Waldermar Clerpinski (1976 and 1980).

“In the first few days after the start of the Olympic Games, it was disturbing watching other nations celebrate medals when we had not won anything. All in all, we had to bear with it. They say if you want to enjoy sport, then you must accept defeat,” he continued.

“The Ineos 1:59 Challenge was a great. I dared to think and dared to try and I succeeded. I was optimistic. I had a huge experience from Breaking 2 in Monza, Italy, in 2017. I missed it by 25 seconds.

“Life has changed in terms of performance. I am still the same Eliud Kipchoge, nothing has changed. Simple lifestyle is the way to control your conscience to think well.

“Finishing eighth at the London Marathon was a wake-up call for me. Inspiration and love of the sport keeps me going.”

 

By Ben Ahenda 34 mins ago
Motorsport
Safari Rally 2024: Tanak urges Kenyan children to take up motorsports as a career
Rugby
SCHOOLS: From the classroom to the field, Kisumu Girls ready to lift national rugby trophy
Motorsport
Safari Rally 2024: Neuville clinches Kasarani stage as Hyundai makes intention known
Motorsport
Safari Rally 2024: Will Fourmaux finally break M-Sport Ford jinx in Naivasha?