World champion Timothy Cheruiyot will be hoping his blazing form on the Diamond League circuit transmits onto the Olympic Stadium track as he commences his bid for Olympic gold in Heat 1 of the men's 1,500m this morning. Cheruiyot was a late inclusion to Team Kenya after Kamar Etyang was rendered ineligible for the championships due to failure to meet mandatory anti-doping tests requirements. It is an honour to represent Kenya at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games," Cheruiyot said soon after his confirmation into the team. Based on his personal best and world lead of 3:28.28 clocked at his last race in July at the Monaco Diamond League, Cheruiyot arrived in Tokyo as the outright favourite to succeed American Matthew Centrowitz Jr as the new Olympic champion. I believe in myself and in hard work as the only way to succeed, which is what I have been doing," Kipsang said.

Source: The Star August 03, 2021 01:52 UTC