Commonwealth 5000m silver medalist Nicholas Kimeli feels teamwork will be a key factor in reversing fortunes in the long-distance races for Kenya at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary later in the month.
Kimeli, who will double up in the 5000m and 10000m races, said teamwork will help Kenya's lofty hunt for medals in the Hungarian capital.
Kimeli tipped Kenya to halt the heart-wrenching 21-year drought in the men’s 10,000m title after 21 years. He comprises the talent-laden triumvirate that also boasts Bernard Kibet with Kibiwott Kandie locked out with an injury.
"We intend to work as a team as we have done on previous occasions. We are alive to the vicious challenge that will be posed by our competitors and we have prepared well enough to nudge them aside on our way to victory," Kimeli said.
Kenya last bagged the men’s 10,000m race in 2001 when Charles Kimathi put up a valiant fight to fend off a heated challenge from the Ethiopian duo of Assefa Mezgebu and Haile Gebrselassie in Edmonton.
“We know it has been long since the title came to the country but I'd like to appeal to our fans to keep their hopes alive in the same way we are keeping ours alive," Kimeli said.
"We have put in many hours of practice and all we can do now is to wait for the big day and hope for the best," he added.
He punched his ticket to the World Championship after obliterating a star-studded field in 10,000m at the the two-day national trials in Nyayo Stadium on July 7.
The neck and neck contest between him Daniel Ebenyo resulted in a photo finish as Kimeli blazed to victory in 27:29.8 with Ebenyo following closely in 27:30.5 to secure his spot in the team. Kibet finished third in 27:10:00.
Kimeli will rely on his impressive track credentials to steer himself to glory in Budapest. Born on September, 1998, the Kenyan long-distance sensation first gauged his mettle on the international stage in Hengelo on June 9, 2019, where he ran a 5000 metres personal best in under 13 minutes.
At the 2019 London Grand Prix, he placed third over the same distance. He made the final list of the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, after wrapping up third at the national trials.
Kimeli booked a plane to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan where he secured a fourth-place finish.
Kimeli won the 10K race with a time of 26:51, breaking the Romanian 10K all-comers record by nearly two minutes, and making history as the fifth-fastest 10K runner ever.
