By Gilbert Wandera
Former world marathon champion Paul Tergat has tipped Kenya’s long distance runners to turn around their poor performance in major championships at this year’s London Olympic Games.
Tergat, an Olympic silver medalist said teamwork will play a key role in enabling the team to win medals in London.
“It is unfortunate that our performance has dipped in the men long distance races over the years. However, all is not lost and I believe this can change when we go to London.
“We need teamwork and a sense of patriotism to prevail. It has happened before and I believe we can have a repeat of the same,” he said.
Tergat was among former international athletes who turned up at the Nyayo National Stadium to watch the Olympic trials on Saturday.
The marathoner said he will be in London to give the long distance runners morale ahead of the games.
Tergat is well remembered for his rivalry with Ethiopian legend Haile Gebressalasie which always lit up major athletics events.
A new generation of long distance athletes are on the rise to take bring back Kenya’s lost glory if the performance at Saturday’s trials is anything to go by.
Former World Youth champion Isaiah Kiplangat Koech and Thomas Longosiwa won their first Olympic places after a splendid performance on Saturday. Koech who won his World Youth title in Italy three years ago, clocked 13:09.08 in a title contested race to pick one of the three tickets on offer.
Olympic bronze medalist Edwin Soi was second in this race and also earned a ticket to the Olympic games.
Soi finished second in a time of 13:11.11 while Longosiwa was third after clocking 13:11.28.
Former world champion Eliud Kipchoge was one the biggest casualties in this race as he could only manage sixth position. Longosiwa who will also be presenting the country in the Olympic games for the first time said he was delighted to be in the team and remains confident that they can end Kenya’s poor show in the 5,000m event.
“It is a fact that we have not won any medal in major events in the 10,000m and 5,000m but we are determined to change all that.
“Any of us who has made it in this team is capable of winning it,” he said.
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