Commonwealth Games 1,500m champion James Magut is hoping to kick-start his athletics career at the Nitro Athletics Melbourne set for early next month in Australia.
Magut had a rough time last season after suffering a groin injury that made his ambitions to represent Kenya at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games impossible.
Magut is among three Kenyans in the Usain Bolt All-Stars team alongside Elijah Kiptoo and Selah Busienei, all of whom will be participating in the middle distance category in the three night event starting February 4.
“The series mark the beginning of the season. I have had a rough time with a groin injury, which is now fully healed and I am hoping that my body will react competition-wise,” said Magut.
“Having run there for the last four years, I am hopeful of doing well. I think my previous performances have been appealing to the organisers,” added the 3:30.61-man.
He observed that being in the line-up is a great privilege and especially having a chance to interact with Bolt, a nine-time Olympic champion.
However, Australia is not the last stop for the Kenya Defence Forces runner.
“My focus is to training hard and fight for a place in Team Kenya to the World Championships later this year,. This would be a relief enough after missing the Olympics,” said Magut.
The series will involve 24 athletes (12 in each gender) with Olympic champion Usain Bolt leading the star-studded line-up including fellow Jamaican sprinters Michael Frater, Asafa Powell and Christine Day.
United States have the biggest representation in Ryan Wilson (hurdles), Kerron Clement (hurdles), Jarrion Lawson (jumps), Mark Hollis (pole vault), Cyrus Hostetler (javelin), Jarryd Wallace (para-athletics), Jeneba Tarmoh (sprints), Dawn Harper-Nelson (hurdles, sprints), Jenna Prandini (sprints), Brittany McGowan (middle distance) and Kara Winger (javelin).
Matthew Ramsden (middle distance), Naa Anang (long jump) and Nina Kennedy (pole vault) will be in action for the home team. Greece’s Anastasia Marinakou (middle distance) and Marie Le Fur (para-athletics) completes the lineup.