Reigning national 5,000m champion Rebecca Mwangi has not had any anti-doping test despite missing out to represent the country at the World Championships in Oregon, USA.
Mwangi, who won the 10,000m race at the second leg of Athletics Kenya track and field events said that she has been posting her whereabouts but no one has ever come to test her.
She plans to represent the country at the 2023 edition of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary later in the year.
“So far I have not had any testing despite enjoying good times and updating my system all the time. I hope that this will not affect my career again when I qualify to represent the country at the world championships,” said Mwangi, who is based in Japan.
She said that her coach informed her that she should come to such a meeting at Nyayo to see if she will get an opportunity to be tested.
“I was told by my coach to come and run here because I am on holiday to try and have that opportunity to be tested. It is not good to miss an opportunity to represent the country when you have qualified to fly the nation’s flag,” she said.
The 5,000m track specialist said that it was her first time competing in the 10,000m in Kenya after winning last year’s national 5,000m title.
“Last year I won 5,000m finishing second in the first meeting but today I tried 10,000m to see how my body had to respond. At the 9th kilometre, my body failed to respond but I remembered what my coach told me; no pain no gain. I had to struggle and win. I normally run well in 5,000m while on vacation in Kenya but in Japan I run 10km on road and 5,000m track,” said Mwangi who trains in Nyahururu but is based in Lanet, Nakuru county.
She said that a win in her first race in Kenya feels good.
Her focus is to earn a team Kenya slot which has been her dream during her formative years.
“I have been telling my mother that one time I will run for this country and the time will come to enter the Kenya team for Budapest,” she said.
Mwangi won the first race on the track at 32:37.4 ahead of Agnes Mumbua (32:39.0) and Ednah Kibiwott completing the podium in 32:47.6.
Other finishers were Gladys Kwamboka (32:47.80, Emily Chebet (33:38.0) and Melody Jebiwott (33:57.5) for the top six positions.
