Junior athlete Hillary Kibiwott has defied odds of competing in junior races especially at the forthcoming World under 20 Athletics championships at the Kasarani instead he has focused on competing at the Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo, Japan this month.
The 19 year old Kibiwott wants to debut in Kenya team despite meeting the under 20 age where he will compete with bigwigs in the 800m during the national trials that kicks off on Thursday to Sunday at the Kasarani stadium.
He said that he is still a junior runner but he wants to compete with senior athletes because he wants to test himself after acquiring qualifying standards.
“Am still a junior but I want to compete with juniors because I am capable of doing that and I believe I will make it to the Olympics team,” he said.
“I don’t want to compete at the under 20 athletics championships because I believe I have the power to fight for bigger things ahead,” said Kibiwott after his morning training at the Kipchoge Keino stadium in Eldoret.
The former Naitiri High school student never had an opportunity to run since the school did not support athletics and there was no coach at the school hence failing to secure any running chances.
“I just completed my high school and I got a coach to train me because in my high school, there were athletics so I never competed at all while in secondary school. My coach (Johan Litei) also competed in the 800m that is why he has that good heart to train me well,” added the lanky runner.
He said that the two lap race will be highly competitive and he expects to cut into the Kenya team to fight for the medal bracket in Tokyo after acquiring qualifying standards during last month’s Olympics pre-trials at the Nyayo National stadium.
“My training has been great with my coach and I understand how the competition will be great, looking at the lineup. Today (Tuesday) I was training on speed work and this will be my first time to compete at the national level and my first race after school,” said Kibiwott.