After winning a silver medal in the 10,000m at the ongoing World Athletics Championships here in Budapest, coach William Chebii says they will apply the same tactics in the 5,000m.
The men's 5,000m semis are scheduled for Thursday with the final set for Sunday at the National Athletics Stadium.
Kenya’s Daniel Simiu won a silver medal in the 25-lap race in a time of 27:52.60 behind Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei (27:51.42).
“We had prepared for the 10,000m and we wanted the race to be fast. That is why you saw the Japan-based Kenyan Bernard Kibet controlling the pace,” said Chebii.
The tactician said they have for the last three weeks focused on speed because that is what was lacking. He said contrary to their previous training regime, they have been very serious about speedwork.
He said the training has been very intense and athletes have had to persevere because as the adage goes: No pain, No gain.
“We have everything in terms of producing a complete athlete but speed has been a challenge in past events,” he noted.
He said they will be executing the same tactics in the 5,000m final in a bid to stretch their rivals to the limit and win more medals.
Chebii said: “We have been studying the way our East Africa counterparts have been running and I think we now have the solution to counter and I think we are getting somewhere.”
He said the reason why Kibet took off after the 13th lap was to separate men from boys so that Team Kenya can narrow on the target.
“I am so happy that this worked quite perfectly and I think it is time to build on Simiu’s silver medal during the 5,000m final,” he noted.
He revealed that Kibet was the chief destroyer and it was because of him that Simiyu was able to win a medal.
Kenya will be represented in the men’s 5,000m by Nicholas Kimeli, Ismael Kirui, Jacob Kiprop and Cornelius Kemboi.
Chebii said the quartet has what it takes to bring clinch the medals.
“The morale you saw with the 10,000m team is the same in the 5,000m. These people train together and challenge each other and therefore, I am looking forward to better performance,” concluded Chebii.
