Upcoming 3,000m steeplechase runner Doris Cherop believes meeting her idol, world record holder over the distance Beatrice Chepkoech, will be an inspiration enough as she looks forward to a successful career in the sport.
Born and raised in the cattle-rustling prone area of Ortum in West Pokot County, Cherop said she looks upon Chepkoech as her idol mentor though she has never met her.
“I have waited for long to meet her and tell her that I like the way she runs and that I copied her running skills. I want to be like her in as I seek to be a star in 3,000m steeplechase,” said Cherop, a Form Four student at football-mad Tartar Secondary School.
Meanwhile, Cherop has a totally different disappointment. After missing Africa under 18 medal at Ivory Coast, Cherop said she wanted to make amends at the now postponed World Under 20 Championships in Nairobi.
“It is a disappointment for me as an upcoming runner. I was prepared for the competition but it's unfortunate it was postponed," said Cherop.
“While preparing for Africa junior championships, which was my first outing, it was part of my training for the World Under 20 meeting but the results were not as good as I had prepared and planned for. Therefore, I wanted to make things right on home ground."
Tartar, a school that has produced top football players in the country is well known in football but Cherop is optimistic to bring change at the school, to embrace athletics as a sport.
“Tartar is known for football but we are trying to bring in athletics as a way of diversifying sports at the school. We want to make the school among the best in athletics,” said Cherop.
Last year she competed up to the national level in the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) where she cut into the East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association but she was disappointed after she was informed that her race is not admissible at the regional competition.
“I was ready to lift the regional title but the 3,000m steeplechase is not an EASSSA event,” she said.
