• The former Olympian emphasized the importance of teamwork among the athletes while warning against underestimating their opponents.
• Ndereba sees the difference between city marathons and major championships as a significant factor, downplaying the threat from the Ethiopian team.
Image: FILE
Two-time Olympic silver medalist and four-time Boston Marathon champion Catherine Ndereba is confident that the Kenyan women's marathon squad will dominate the podium at the Paris Olympics.
The Kenyan women’s marathon team is made up of London Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, Olympic silver medalist Brigid Kosgei and two-time Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri with Sharon Lokedi as reserve.
Ndereba praised the selection panel for assembling a formidable team and expressed her belief that they have what it takes to secure a podium sweep.
“The panel that sat and selected the team did a great job. In my opinion, the team is very strong and has the capability of sweeping the board in Paris,” Ndereba noted.
The former Olympian emphasized the importance of teamwork among the athletes while warning against underestimating their opponents.
“The athletes should embrace teamwork. They should also not underrate the opponents because anybody can carry the day,” she stated.
The Ethiopian contingent will be led by the women's world marathon record holder, Tigist Assefa.
Assefa made headlines after clocking 2:11:53 to shatter the previous record of 2:14:04 set by Kosgei during the 2019 Chicago Marathon.
She highlighted the difference between city marathons and major championships as a significant factor and downplayed the threat from the Ethiopian team. “Every event is different and all we need is to plan better,” Ndereba noted.
Ndereba, who currently heads the Kenya Prisons sports department, stressed that the primary goal for athletes in any championship is winning gold, with world records secondary.
“With championships, all that counts is the performance. It's not about the world record or time as is the case with city marathons. All athletes are focused on the medal and there, I am not so sure about the world record in the women’s race,” she noted.
Ndereba made her mark internationally during the 2000 Chicago Marathon, where she clocked 2:21:33 to clinch the title. She defended the title in 2001 clocking 2:18:47 after lowering her PB.
She, however, failed to defend her title in 2002 placing second in 2:19:26 behind Britain’s Paula Radcliffe who set a world record of 2:17:18.
Ndereba took part in her first Olympics in 2004 in Athens, Greece, clocking 2:26:32 to finish second behind Japan’s Mizuki Noguchi (2:26:20).
She would later feature in the 2008 Beijing Marathon, placing second again in 2:27:06. Romania’s Constantina Tomescu (2:26:44) clinched the title.
The 51-year-old has the most wins in the Boston Marathon with a record four titles. Ndereba clocked 2:26:11 in 2000, 2:23:53 in 2001, 2:24:27 in 2004 and 2:25:13 in 2005 to clinch the titles.
Ndereba highlighted the advancements in technology that aid today's athletes, including specialised shoes and technological advancements in the sport.
“Today, running is aided technologically. Athletes have technological shoes which help them a lot in running. During our time such innovations were not available,” she noted.
She, however, noted that the rate of doping among young athletes has shot up at an alarming rate threatening the sport.
“The level of doping has gone up in recent times. Of course, during our time there was doping but not as much as today. Everybody is looking at a shortcut to improve and it is killing a lot of young talents.”
Ndereba urged young marathoners to remain focused, embrace teamwork, and steer clear of doping to achieve success on the world stage.
“Stay focused, embrace teamwork and most of all fear God. They should also avoid doping at all costs,” she concluded.