•The Kenyan water and barrier sensation said she had sharpened her talons well enough to light up the French capital with a magnum opus performance.
•Before her glory, Chepkoech had begun her season on a low note at the Orlen Copernicus Cup, where she fizzled out to a disappointing fifth in the 1500m race.
Image: FILE
Reigning World 3000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech has vowed to garnish her rich trophy armoury with a gold medal at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
In an exclusive interview on Tuesday, the Kenyan water and barrier sensation said she had sharpened her talons well enough to light up the French capital with a magnum opus performance.
“I’m in brilliant form and my body feels good and ready for the task in Paris. My target is to finish at the top of the race and win Kenya a gold medal,” Chepkoech remarked.
“I’m prepared both physically and psychologically and I’m looking forward to a splendid performance,” she added.
Chepkoech spoke days after her successive master-class acts at the Xiamen and Suzhou Diamond League meetings inspired more glamour into her impressive track credentials.
“I become increasingly motivated and my confidence receives a boost anytime I win races. My performances in Xiamen and Suzhou were a great motivation to me and I’m satisfied with what I’ve achieved since the start of the season,” Chepkoech stated.
Reminiscing about her scintillating execution in the Diamond League meetings, Chepkoech said a malaise on the day of the competition dampened her resolve to register a better time.
“I felt excited to win two successive Diamond League races in a short span of one week. My body was not in its best condition and throughout the Xiamen race, I endured a disturbing pain in my stomach issues, but I wasn’t just ready to quit,” Chepkoech remarked.
“The wins are a big inspiration to me, especially, as I shift my focus on preparing for the Olympic Games. I intend to participate in a couple of more races which will help me gauge my readiness for the games,” she said.
Chepkoech has experienced a plain sailing career, managing to maintain an unbeaten streak in her signature event since the start of the season.
She kicked off her title-winning crusade in a scintillating fashion at the African Games in Ghana a month ago, annihilating a rich field of competitors in the 5000m race to breast the tape in a championship record time of 9:15.61 on her way to the golden podium.
Before her glory, Chepkoech had begun her season on a low note at the Orlen Copernicus Cup, where she fizzled out to a disappointing fifth in the 1500m race.
Chepkoech bounced back strongly from the heart-wrenching loss to scoop the title in the 3000m race at the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais Trophée EDF.