NAIROBI, Kenya, January 29 – Former World junior Cross Country champion Pauline Korikwiang is confident of making the national cross country team for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan.
Korikwiang who has shown excellent form in the local and European cross country circuits believes her performance coupled with her intense training will help her achieve success at next month’s cross country trials to be held in Ngong.
‘I think I will make it because of the training I have been through and my season has been better than last year’s,” said Korikwiang.
Korikwiang who won the women’s senior category in last three legs of the Athletics Kenya (AK) cross country meets was speaking at the G4S Teen training run on Thursday that was overseen by world marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie.
Gebrselassie’s arch rival and long term friend Paul Tergat and four time Boston Marathon champion Robert Cheruiyot in attendance.
“Haile showed me how he goes about his training and how important it is to achieve one’s goals,” said Korikwiang.
“Haile is has helped me a lot and I hope to be like him,” she added.
About 200 runners turned up at the Nyayo National Stadium for the early morning run which was the climax of the three day regional training camp which also involved three other young gifted athletes from Africa.
The athletes are Nigerian 100m sprinter Obinna Metu, Fanuel Kenosi from Botswana and Zodwa Mapanga from South Africa.
Gebrselassie took the gathering through a warm session before hitting the track for five laps.
The event ended with a bonding session between Gebrselassie, Tergat and the runners who received various forms of advice from the legends ranging from how to improve their running to the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
The session was also punctuated by some friendly banter from both Gebrselassie and Tergat whose rivalry goes back 14 years.
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