Two time world cross country champion Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor will be seeking a hat trick in the 2019 world cross country championships slated for March in Aarhus, Denmark.
The three time world half marathon champion won bronze in the 2018 New York City marathon last Sunday behind Ethiopian duo of Lesisa Desisa and Shura Kitata, said that what happened in New York was unbelievable and he had to accept the outcome and forge ahead.
“I did my best to defend my title but it did not happen as planned therefore I have to accept the results and focus in my future. Now my target is to defend my cross country title,” said the former world 10,000m silver medalist.
The former Berlin marathon champion will be seeking his third back to back world cross country honours, just like what he has achieved in world half marathon when he won his maiden 21km world title in Copenhagen in 2014, before defending in 2016 in Cardiff and won the third title in 2018 in Valencia.
The 2017 New York City Marathon champion won his first world cross country title in 2015 that was held in Guiyang, China and defended the title in Kampala, Uganda in 2017 as he targets a hat-trick in the race.
The two time Berlin marathon bronze medalist will be chasing to achieve the fit that former world marathon record holder Paul Tergat, now the National Olympics Committee (NOCK) chairman achieved during his hay days.
Tergat won the world cross country title five times in row starting from 1995 to 1999. In 1995, Tergat won the title timing 34:05, which was then 12km for senior men. Since Tergat won the title in 1999, it stayed for eleven years before Joseph Ebuya restored Kenyan dignity in 2010.
“I will be taking time to recover before embarking on my serious training ahead of the national championships cum trials that will give me an opportunity to defend my title,” added the 2013 Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) half marathon champion.
The former world cross country junior champion said he will be working his way to take the national slot before making it to the world.
“kenya has many athletes and making a cut into the national team will be crucial that is why I have to work my way out,” added the former Lille half marathon champion during Ant-Doping Day in Iten on Friday.
The Chepkorio born runner was the pacemaker for Patrick Makau during the 2011 Berlin Marathon where he set the world record of 2:03.38.
Kamworo’s loss to Desisa was the replica of 2011 New Delhi half marathon where the latter beat the former before winning Bogota half marathon.