NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 19 – Commonwealth 1500m champion Elijah Manangoi says he has learnt his lessons and comes back to the athletics track a better person after serving a two-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
Manangoi was suspended by the AIU in July 2020, the ban then backdated to 2019 after missing three consecutive out of competition tests.
The former world champion insisted then that his ban had nothing with usage of banned substances and was only on missed tests.
He competed for the first time ever during the Kenya Police Cross Country Championship two weeks ago where he ran the mixed relay and says he feels relieved to have finally come back to competitive action.
Elijah Manangoi competes at the National Police Cross Country Championship
“It really feels great to be back competing again and this has now helped me to fully put my focus on the new season. It is beautiful to compete again. It has been a tough period, training alone and it hasn’t been easy but I am grateful to have come out of all this as a stronger person. What really helped me was that I have a strong mind,” Manangoi told Capital Sports.
He added; “I don’t really want to talk much about the past, but I have learned my lessons. I have learnt how important it is to fill your own whereabouts. The pressure has not weighed down on me but made me a stronger person. I hope that the younger generation can learn from me.”
“It is important to fill your own whereabouts. Do not let anyone fill it for you. It might look like something very small but it can be a big blow like it was for me. I am a human being and a mistake can happen to anyone,”
“I can’t change anything from what has happened but I can only learn and be better. Now I know the rules, I know what AIU requires of athletes and so much more,” Manangoi further told Capital Sport.
Elijah Manangoi competes at the National Police Cross Country Championship
The 29-year old missed the defense of his World Title in 2019 due to injury. With the Olympics happening on the second year of his ban, he consequently missed out on the chance of vying for a dream Olympic title, having bowed out of Rio 2016 with injury.
“Missing the Olympics and the World Championships was very painful, but I never gave up. I know that there are some good races coming up and I just kept training hard and waiting for the right opportunity,” stated Manangoi.
Returning in 2022 is a massive opportunity for him as he has the World Championship and the defense of his Commonwealth Games title on the line.
Though he is determined to defend his title in Birmingham, Manangoi has admitted that winning the World Championship in Oregon would be a massive achievement for him.
Elijah manangoi reacts after winning the title at the 2017 World Championship.
He won the title in 2017, but with injury ruling him out, his training partner Timothy Cheruiyot won the title in Doha in 2019.
“Of course I want to defend my Commonwealth Games title and there is also the Diamond League season. The World Championships is also very important to me because I want to go and reclaim it. I will prepare well and hopefully the best comes out of everything,” he said.
