Jelimo sets focus

By CHRIS MUSUMBA

After numerous false starts, Olympic 800m champion Pamela Jelimo finally come out to speak about a promising career blighted by injuries and loss of form, which saw her drop from grace to grass in a span of three years.

Many predicted doom saying she got drunk from the millions that she racked in winning the IAAF Golden league jackpot worth $1 million. But Jelimo has had to look on with her hands in head as her name was soiled, a career stuck on the rocks and a neighbourhood deriding her displays. She only had her family and management team, Golazo Sports to fall back to.

"They saw the potential in me. They knew me. Nobody was giving me a chance, but they stood by me. They were with me in the hardest of times and forever I will be indebted to them," said Jelimo.

The mocking was too much that Jelimo had to seek an alternative training ground away from Kapsabet and she opted to come to Nairobi.

"I was forced to get out of Kapsabet and come to Ngong to train. The altitude is almost similar to that in Kapsabet and the weather is okay. It has given me a fresh start and as I seek to get my career back on track, I must focus and give it everything I have," she said.

Jelimo’s career is stained by a knee injury and burning out. This drained her energies and she lost interest in the sport. Her attitude changed and leaving her no future.

"I made several false starts. Every time something came up and my injury recurred. I had to go back to see the doctors and Physiotherapists in Nairobi. I went back to the rehabilitation. I could see my friends run and win abroad yet I was seated there with little hope of ever running at the top again. It was the worst moment in my career."

Return to training

Jelimo’s local management led by Barnabas Korir were able to convince her to return to training. She immersed herself in the preparation exercises and has since emerged with a greatly enhanced reputation. She returned to action at meeting in Nairobi, opting to run in the 4x400m relay race doing 53.01 seconds in her lap. Later she went to Dusseldorf, Germany and made a debut at the Indoor meeting, running the longer 1,500m race.

However, as fate had it, she was disqualified for running in the inside lane a stride too soon but her time of 4:07 at the end was soothing to her managers. But that disqualification did not hinder Jelimo from her ultimate target, getting back to the top level of competition.

She picked up the pieces, dusted herself up and headed to Lievin, France where she competed at the 800m distance and though she did not win the race – coming in second in 1:59.10 – she showed the hunger, determination and courage that has been missing in her career ever since she ascended to the top in Beijing in 2008.

That performance earned her a slot in the Kenya team and on March 7, she will be leading a nine-member Kenya delegation to the World Indoor Championships, which will be held in Istanbul, Turkey from March 9-11.

Rehabilitation process

"At the moment, it feels great to be back. Many people have no idea what I had to endure during my rehabilitation time. The insults, scorn and finger pointing that came my way. It is an athlete’s nightmare to have an injury and nobody believing you can get over it and return to compete at the highest level.

"I only had my family around. Most people lost hope in me, but my family, my coach (Ben Engelhardt and my management team knew I could make it and after putting in so much in training to get back into my shape, I look forward to answer my critics in Istanbul," said Jelimo.

The World Indoor Championships has witnessed big flops especially from Kenyan athletes. But Jelimo is not losing sleep on what medal she will win in Istanbul.

"To me to be able to run at the top level again with the world best athletes is a major achievement. I have nothing left to prove and if I get a podium position, then I will be happy, but all I need to do is get my confidence back. The feeling that I’m worth running along the world’s greatest.

Many want me to win, but the pressure is not on me. I have nothing to lose," she added.

One thing that needs to be noted is that her change in attitude and training base has greatly helped in her recovery.

"My management had to switch my training from Kapsabet to Ngong. I think it was the best thing to have happened in my battle to return to the top. I can now focus on my training without other disturbances.

It has helped me redeem my career. I’m determined, focused and ready for the ups and downs though. Each step is crucial."

Jelimo, however, is not about to bask in her new glory with only about three races under her belt in 2012.

"Winning in Istanbul is important, but the bigger target is to successfully defend my crown in London," she said.

That will be given a major test in the build up and the IAAF Diamond League races starting in May. Then there is the small task of the explosive Kenyan trials.

"But hopefully, I will remain injury free and go for it," she said.

One thing is clear, though. There is no denying Jelimo having her cake and eating it.

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