体坛英语资讯：Kenya Kiplagat eyes victory in ROK marathon race

NAIROBI, Aug. 5 -- Until last year, only a few people had heard about Silas Kiplagat, the Commonwealth Games 1,500m champion.

His burst of pace, especially in the final 200m has left many of his opponents rooted. And as the world prepares for the premier global track and field championship kater this month in Daegu, South Korea, many are wondering if Kenya especially Kiplagat, a warder in the Kenyan correction department, will finally be able to reclaim the glory in the four lap race.

This is of course based on the quick time Kiplagat has posted this year of 3:30.47 in winning the Diamond League in Monaco last month. The time is still the world leading this season.

Of course once in a while Kenya produces a 1500m runner who takes the world by storm. But it has taken eight long years to discover a natural heir apparent to the legacy Noah Ngeny left at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Ngeny left as fast as he came in part due to injury and many other athletes have emerged in his retirement trying to ascend to his throne.

One such athlete was current Olympic Champion Asbel Kiprop, but even for him he has failed to consistently hold on to the number one slot.

Throw in Nixon Chepseba, Caleb Mwangangi, Haron Keitany, Augustine Choge or Daniel Kipchirchir Komen, but you will not find the flair and easiness with which Ngeny triumphed and dominated the event.

The emergence of Kiplagat has given the world a new imagination. He stands out as a unique athlete that Kenya has primed for better days ahead depending on how he is nurtured.

With only two blemishes to his growing reputation, both recorded in Monaco legs of the Diamond League in 2010 and 2011, Kiplagat, who is 21 years old, has already settled smoothly into senior track competition winning the usually explosive Kenya trials at altitude in 3:31.39, an area record for Africa.

But there are other athletes across the globe hoping to become world champions. There is New Zealand's Nicholas Willis 3:31.79, Mohammed Shawee 3:31.82 of Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia's Mekonnen Gebremedhin 3:31.90 and Morocco's Amine Laalou 3:31.92.

But that is not giving Kiplagat sleepless nights as he sojourns on his quest for the world title. Kiplagat said the four-lap race will turn into a Kenyan affair in Daegu as the world congregates in the coastal Korean city for the championships which start from August 27 to September 4.

Kiplagat, who is enjoying his best form and making a debut at the World Championships, has tipped Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop, himself and Kipchirchir Komen as the men to beat in the race. Kiplagat has joined the rest of the Kenyan team in training camp at Kasarani and remained confident he will maintain his peak form.

"It will be important to qualify for the final. Running the heats in a championship is tricky than the final," said Kiplagat.

The warder turned athlete has learnt his lesson on how to run a championship. He was boxed in the final sprint during the Africa Championship in Nairobi last year August and finished fourth.

He changed his running skills and today he springs to the predatory role from the outside lane and he is eying to use the same in Daegu.

"I got a rude lesson at home in 2010. I have since moved on and if you look how I have been running, you will realisz that I like controlling the pace from the outer lane so nobody can spike me or hinder me from making the sprint," he said in Nairobi after training.

But it is easier said than done. The 1,500m race was one of the hardest in the Kenyan trials and if Kiplagat triumphed without problem and even had time to look at his opponents, it tells you that there will be a stampede in Daegu as the rush for the gold medal hits fever pitch.

Already Kenya athletics coach Sammy Rono has expressed his satisfaction on Kenya doing well in South Korea.

Rono said the team's preparations so far have gone well and he is fine tuning the squad as they trickle back home after globe trotting competing in the Diamond League.

Monday will be the last day for the elite athletes to report home and with the Diamond League taking a break, some runners will not be lucky enough to take their foot off the acceleration pedal as they seek peak performance in Daegu.

"I am ready for the championship even today. I will have to wait and see that I do not burn myself out or over train," said Kiplagat.

Rono also believes the training would go a notch higher when all athletes report to camp by Monday.

"There are no injuries and the training is going as planned. The athletes are really responding well to the program and if they carry on like this, we are sure of winning many medals in Daegu," he said.

World 800m record holder David Rudisha, 5,000m world champion Vivian Cheruiyot, Olympic 1,500m gold medallist Asbel Kiprop, Hellen Obiri, Mercy Njoroge and world 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi are the only athletes yet to report to camp.