World Under-18 800m silver medallist Lydia Jeruto will use this weekend’s meeting to launch her senior 5,000m debut at the University of Eldoret grounds.
Jeruto said she has increased the distance tremendously from her usual two-lap race and Eldoret meet will give her the direction on the way forward.
Jeruto, who has been named in the relay team ahead of Africa Cross country Championships in Lome, Togo, will line-up 12-lap race as she seeks to prove a point to her rivals. This will also be part of her build-up towards the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
She admitted that she has invested heavily in training as she seeks to make a successful transition to the women’s 5,000m.
“In recent days, I have been very busy in training in an effort to gauge my speed and endurance. Transitioning to 5,000m was a personal choice and I want to make an immediate impact,” said Jeruto, the 2020 Discovery Cross Country Championships winner.
At the Africa cross country in Lome, she will team up with world 3,000m record holder Beatrice Chepkoech, Gilbert Kwemoi and Abel Kipsang in the mixed relay.
“Running in Eldoret will be part of my speed work and endurance ahead of Africa show. Africa is not an easy target but we need to work hard to achieve great goals,” she said. Jeruto revealed that she decided to compete in 5,000m following her good run at 2019 World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, where she placed 13th.
“After running well in 6km and finishing in such position, I decided to take the challenge a notch higher. That is how I made my mind to shift to 5,000m. If I can complete 6km, what will stop me from winning 5,000?” asked Jeruto. She said she has great training mates including former Commonwealth Games junior champion Richard Kimunyan and Justus Soget among others.
