MOSCOW, January 7- World Indoor and former Olympics women 800m champion, Pamela Jelimo, is set for a comeback at the February 2 IAAF Indoor Permit Meeting in Moscow according to organisers.
Jelimo, 24, who only raced once in 2013 over 400m at a local meet in May, is set for only her fourth closed-circuit race over two-laps despite winning the world title in Istanbul, Turkey, almost two years ago.
Jelimo leads a quality 800m field which also includes Olympic bronze medallist Yekaterina Poistogova, 2011 European indoor champion Jenny Meadows, reigning European indoor champion Nataliia Lupu and rising talent Nelly Jepkosgei.
The athlete nick-named ‘Kapsabet Express’ after her astonishing 2008 season where she strung 13 victories on the bounce including the Olympics crown in Beijing as well as a 1:54.01 world junior record has endured a stop-start career since.
Debilitating knee injury, loss of form and reported personal issues have combined to rob the world one of the most forceful female two-lap runners whose powerful running when she emerged on her breakthrough season led many to crown her the next queen of 800m metres.
On her first comeback campaign in 2012, Jelimo added the IAAF Diamond League crown to her honours despite a poorly tactically run race at the London Olympics final saw her surrender her crown to Russia’s Mariya Saminova as she came trooping fourth in 1:57.59.
“My main focus is Moscow. Last year I was in great shape for sure and it was a small error. I have to work really hard and see who will be running and apply tactics to run a good race,” Jelimo said last May after finishing second to Maureen Jelagat in the 400m race at the AK meet in Nairobi.
“Of course, the main objective is to run a fast race. So many athletes are looking forward to running fast. With hard training everything, including beating that (her PB) is possible,” said Jelimo, who ran 57.7 to finish second to Commonwealth medallist Maureen Jelagat.
“Of course, the main objective is to run a fast race. So many athletes are looking forward to running fast. With hard training everything, including beating that (her PB) is possible,” added Jelimo, who ran 57.7 then.
However, that was not to be as an aggravation of the knee injury that has been troubling her saw her miss the Trials for the World Championships in Moscow where compatriot Eunice Sum delivered the women 800m gold against all odds.
At the Moscow IAAF Permit meet, World 800m champion Mohammed Aman leads a quality field in the men’s 600m.
The latest addition for that event is Qatari record-holder and Asian champion Musaeb Abdulrahman Balla, who finished second to Aman at last year’s Russian Winter.
