PARIS, France, Aug 7 – Having already taken some impressive scalps in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, Beatrice Chepkoech is overly excited to chase her new dreams in road running.
And as the world record holder exited the track scene empty handed at Paris 2024 Olympics where she could only manage 6th in the 3000m Steeplechase Final, Chepkoech called on Kenyan athletics stakeholders to do a lot more in the steeplechase race ostensibly to regain the country’s lost glory.
It was a bitter pill for Chepkoech to swallow after the Olympic medal remained elusive for the 33-year-old who managed fourth at the Rio Games in 2016, and placed seventh in Tokyo 2020, three years back.
Chepkoech nevertheless applauded Kenyan 20-year-old Faith Cherotich, who clinched bronze on Tuesday incidentally on her Olympic debut.
Bahrain’s Kenyan-born star Winfred Yavi took the women’s gold, dethroning Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai who had to settle for silver.
“I am happy for her (Faith Cherotich). At least she fought to the very end. She is an astute student of the game and coming up really well to replace me in this race. I exit the scene with my head high despite failing in my three attempts in Rio, Tokyo and now Paris. This was my last steeplechase and indeed my last track event. For now, I am headed to road races and marathons,” said Chepkoech.
Responding to her dismal performance in the French Capital, Chepkoech continued: “I just needed to feel how my body responded as I was under medication which tend to create sourness in the muscles, I contracted pneumonia just after the trials and I went to the doping control immediately with wet clothes so, after coming out I was coughing.”
She went on: “We have lost grip on the steeplechase as a country. So, the coaches need to do a lot more and visit camps and the grassroots to tap talent, and monitor the progress of steeplechasers. In the run up to big events such as this, they (Coaches) should put athletes in specialized training in camp, or event run monthly trials just to see which areas need to be improved technically, rather than just waiting for the last minute.”
Bronze medalist Faith Cherotich described the pace in the final as intense.
“It was tough for me at homestretch. The pace was intense. But I hope to improve and train harder to bolster speed and resilience.”
Earlier, the 2022 Commonwealth Games Jackline Chepkoech attributed injuries to her disappointing performance after she was eliminated from the first round of the women’s 3000m Steeplechase. She finished 12th timing 9:35.56 in heat two.
