TOKYO, Japan, Aug 2 – Asked about the stellar start to her medal aspirations in the ongoing 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, an ever smiling, focused Faith Kipyegon quipped: “It’s all about the gold medal”.
The reigning 1500m Olympic champion says it is now the moment to focus and forget about anything else. Kipyegon was victorious in Heat 3 of the women’s 1500m race on Monday morning, beating her stablemate Winnie Nanyondo from Uganda.
“Right now, I’m just focusing and looking to face the challenges ahead. I’m calling on the fans back home to pray for me as God will strengthen me and I will run to the best of my ability.”
“Championships are not easy. It’s not like the Diamond League where you have pacesetters to boost your running. In the Olympics you are fighting on your own.”
Kipyegon, also the 2017 World Champion declined to comment on her race adversaries in the semi-finals, noting that she is focused on reaching the final and delivering gold.
“I am not talking about competitors for now. I am just focusing on my race and looking forward to the semis and hopefully the finals. I will definitely take each race as it comes. It was really hot today but I thank God for the result. I think we will be running in the evening for the semis so I am keeping my fingers crossed for now.”
Kipyegon also lauded her Ugandan ‘race adversary’ Nanyondo who recovered from her failed 800m attempt to qualify for the 1500m semis.
“Winnie is a good friend of mine. We are in the same management and she is a really good girl. She lost a qualification slot in the 800m, but I’m wishing her well in the 1500m. About Jebitok I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry for her though. This is a championship and you really have to be very careful about it as you can easily be knocked off in the race.”
Nanyondo on the other hand termed her race with Kipyegon a tough one.
“I always compete with Faith. She is my friend. I know she is better than me but she always gives me advice on how to train and remain mentally strong. We are in the same management at Global Sports Communications,” Nanyondo said.
She added, “It was not easy for me because of the fatigue coming from the 800m heats which I did not qualify from. But I thank God that I have made it to the next level of 1500m. The weather is very hot. No oxygen, you feel as if you are not breathing, it’s not easy. It’s a good consolation but I was a little bit disappointed in the 800m as I was feeling okay. That’s athletics; you win some, you lose some.”
Edinah Jebitok of Kenya was left to rue what she termed a bad day in office. She finished 12th in the Women’s 1500m Heat 2 after she fell down, tripping along with her Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands.
However, she will be in the starting line for the semis after Kenya lodged an appeal on a race infringement, which they duly won.
–Alex Isaboke is reporting from Tokyo, Japan
