Olympic 800m silver medallist Margaret Nyairera’s coach Sam Maina is keen to get the athlete back on track after dipping in form the last one year.
In 2016, Nyairera won bronze at both the World Indoor Championship and Rio Olympic Games. Maina, who helped identify and nurture Nyairera’s athletics talent during her secondary school days at Tetu High School, said they have already started training ahead of the World Championship in Doha, Qatar and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Nyairera was forced to train without her coach Maina after ditching Kenya Defence Force for Kenya Prisons. Maina said this shift could be the root cause of the 2014 World Junior 800m champion’s tribulations.
Maina said: “A lot of things happened last year and the circumstances might have played part in the dismal performance of the athlete. I was not with her for the better part of the season and she had to train on her own but all in all, that is water under bridge now and new season is here.”
He added: “First things first, I have to get her in the best shape ahead of the season and you know what happens when people break for Christmas festivities. However, she is dedicated athlete and she will be fit and ready to race especially in a few Diamond Leagues before the Worlds.”
The official said she has advised Nyairera not to set her targets too high including ambitions to beat world champion Caster Semenya. “I just want her to improve her personal best of 1:56.87 from a third place finish at the 2017 Zurich Diamond League.”
“In every race, athletes have their targets and In most cases, they want to outdo their competitors. In Nyairera’s case, her dream has been to beat
Semenya. But I have advised her to better herself and who knows what will happen in future,” noted Maina, whose plans to have a training camp in Limuru are in top gear.