Double New York City marathon champion Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor will be seeking to improve on his silver medal he won at the 2015 world championships in Beijing to gold in this year’s world championships in Eugene, Oregon in the United States of America,
The three-time world half marathon champion (2014, 2016 and 2018), who won silver in 2015 behind Mo Farah in 10,000m will be seeking his maiden gold at the championships when he will be lining up in the marathon away from the track event that he used to compete in.
The all surface runner, who has quit both cross country and track events to concentrate fully in marathon said that time has come for him to win the most coveted title, saying that he is fit, training well and in good health.
“I started the training very late because of competing at the Boston marathon but currently am doing well. It is a bit late but my body is responding well. With this remaining one month before the race, I am sure I will be extra fit to compete at the world championships,” said the two-time Berlin marathon bronze medalist.
He says that he feels great going back to the USA after winning two New York Marathon titles, competing in Boston last April, says that it gives him great pleasure and motivates him again to win a major title at the world championships.
“I have competed in America many times, winning New York two times (2017 and 2019), winning bronze once (2018) and silver once (2015). So I will feel great if I win one of the major titles,” said Kamworor.
He added that it was so unfortunate to have lost the Boston marathon that was won by Kenyan Evans Chebet followed by compatriot Lawrence Cherono.
“It was very unfortunate while competing at the Boston marathon because I went there, I was fit and in great shape but I don’t know what really happened. But sometimes shit happens and picked muscle crumbs. But I came home and I was treated and right now I am fine. It was a bad day for me,” he said.
However, he assured Kenyans that they should expect them to do well at the world championships where he will be marshalling forces with Lawrence Cherono, Barnabas Kiptum and former world champion Geoffrey Kirui.
“Looking at the team, we are optimistic, because we are the best team ever and we are going to fight for all the medals, which will be very competitive also looking at other nations,” he said.
With Athletics Kenya assurance that each athlete will be training individually at their training areas, Kamworor said that they sometimes train together as a team.
“We are training almost from the same environment so we are good. We train together as a team once a week and it is resonating well. But I am not going back to 10,000m and my focus is fully, with the aim of claiming a major title like world championships then the six world majors’ marathon title,” he added.
“The biggest achievement in this career is proper training, focused and self-discipline that has kept me on toes for all this time and most important is to respect your coaches. It may disappoint you at the start but it will take to adjust and at the end, you run well. I do adjust very well when it comes to all surfaces like marathon, cross country and track,” he said.
The world championships will be his 10th marathon in his career: “Running nowadays is very competitive across the world. You cannot underrate or underestimate anyone.”