Will Hellen Obiri strike 5000m gold in Doha?
IN DOHA
World 5000 metres champion Hellen Obiri has declared she is in good shape, ready to defend her title at the World Championships here in Doha.
Obiri lines up in the final of women’s 5,000m race Saturday night from 9.25pm alongside fellow Kenyans Lilian Kasait and Margaret Chelimo.
Obiri, who had contemplated pulling out of women’s 5,000m race just minutes after finishing fifth on Saturday in women’s 10,000m race won by Ethiopian-born Dutch Sifan Hassan, has declared that she has hit top form going into the final.
“I have recovered well from the 10,000m race. The 10,000m race proved tough and I subsequently contemplated pulling out of 5,000m, but I changed my mind and competed to see how my body would react,” Obiri, who ran from the front to win the semi-final heat in a time of 14 minutes, 15:13 seconds on Wednesday, said.
“I am in the final and I aim at nothing short of defending my title,” Obiri told Nation Sport on Friday in Doha.
FASTEST
Obiri, who finished fourth in IAAF Diamond League final in Brussels on September 6, carries the fastest time this season of 14:20.36 which she set at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London.
Olympics silver medallist Obiri won the first heat in 14:15:13 to qualify ahead of American Karisa Schweizer (14:52:41).
Competing in the second heat of the semi-finals, Kasait timed 15:03:03 to wind up fourth behind fellow Kenyan Chelimo (15:01:08). The heat was won by Ethiopia's Tsehay Gemechu in 15:01.07.
And Chelimo is of the opinion that having three Kenyans in the final increases the country’s medal prospects.
“It is a good thing that all of us qualified for the final, and that gives us a strong base from which to push for medals,” Chelimo said.
.jpg)
.jpg)
Post a Comment