TEAM Kenya jets out to Cardiff, Great Britain today confident of recapturing both individual and team titles at the 21st edition of the IAAF World Half Marathon
Defending champion Geoffrey Kamworor leads a contingent of experienced marathoners including his arch-rival Bedan Karoki, Simion Cheprot, Edwin Kipyego and Edwin Kiptoo Kiprop.
World Half Marathon silver medallist Mary Wacera will lead the women’s squad comprising of former Olympic youth 3,000m champion Gladys Chesir, Peris Chepchirchir, Cynthia Limo and road racer Pascalia Jepkorir.
Kamworor will be seeking to anchor Team Kenya to team title as well as defending title, which he won in Copenhagen in 2004.
Kamwor has a personal best time of 58:54, which ranks him 10th fastest in the world half marathon all-time list.
“Things will not easy but I will work hard to ensure I defend my title. I Know I will be the target but I will work a strategy in conjunction with my team,” Kamworor said on Saturday in Nandi.
He said he is not worried about the British double world and Olympic champion Mo Farah, who will also be competing in Cardiff.
“I have prepared well and I took some lessons from the World Championships in Beijing, where I competed with him (Mo Farah). I have worked on my endurance and speed and I believe I am good to go,” he revealed.
Karoki is equally eyeing the title having recently exhibited great form by clocking a world leading time of 59:14 last September when he won the Copenhagen Half Marathon and the San Juan 10km in Puerto Rico last month.
According to the team coach Kennedy Tanui, the team is psyched up to snatch the crown from Eritrea.
Kenya men’s team finished second in Copenhagen last year ahead of Ethiopia who took bronze medal. However, the Kenyan women won both team and individual titles.
“We have worked on our plan and our target is to win all the titles on offer. The men missed the team title but we hope to snatch it from Eritrea this time round,” said Tanui.
“I have experienced athletes on the board in both teams and we are confident of bettering the performance,” Tanui added. Tanui and Catherine Ndereba are the team coaches while John wachira is the team manager.