Former world junior 800m bronze medalist Lydia Nasimiyu Wafula will be chasing podium finish at Sunday’s Izmir Marathon in Turkey.
Wafula, who finished third during last week’s Kenya Prisons Sercice Track and Field Championships at the Kasarani stadium started her career on track before venturing into marathons.
“I have been training well in Iten for hill work and at the Eldoret Kipchoge Keino stadium for speed work ahead of Izmir marathon after our Kenya Prison service championships. The training has been successful ahead of other assignments,” said wafula.
The former track mistress, who went ahead to win Kampala marathon twice as well as Kilimanjaro marathon said competing in Kenya, especially for the Prisons, gives an athlete that boost by understanding how fit the shape of the body is ahead of any international assignments.
The sprinter, who made her name through pacesetting said Izmir is one of the biggest races in Turkey and she expects a tough challenge after missing out to compete at the Rome marathon last weekend.
“It has been a while since I made a trip to an international assignment after switching to marathon but now am ripe for the international challenge with an aim of setting personal best and hopefully competing on the podium in Turkey,” she said.
Coming from Lang’ata Women prisons, she said: “The service has great runners and a win for any runner, will get high chances of clinching the national title ahead of both Commonwealth games, World championships as well as the Africa Games later in the year,” said the staunch Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) congregant who vowed never to compete on Saturday, who’s day is meant for worshiping her creator.