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The 27-year-old was delighted with his performance in the 3,000m against the race’s specialists
Former 1,500m world champion Timothy Cheruiyot has expressed his delight at finishing fifth in the 3,000m at the season-opening Doha Diamond League on Friday.
Cheruiyot, a 1,500m specialist, went for the double the distance in the Qatari capital to build endurance for the upcoming season that will culminate in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August.
Cheruiyot clocked 7:36.72 for fifth place with Lamecha Girma (7:26.18), Selemon Barega (7:27.16) and Berihu Aregawi (7:27.61) completing an Ethiopian clean sweep, with Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Soufiane El Bakkali (7:33.87) of Morocco finishing fourth, and Kenyan was delighted to have pushed such a stellar cast close.
“I am not experienced for long distance so I’m happy I have finished (in the) top five,” Cheruiyot said after the race.
“This year, I will focus on 1,500m, this was only to gain endurance. This was build-up for 1,500m for Word Championship.”
Cheruiyot, however, said that he intends to switch back to the 1,500m race soon, identifying the Paris, and Monaco Diamond Leagues as where he will do that.
The Olympic silver medalist is in a race against time to be fit for another attempt to win a World Championship gold having claimed it in Doha in 2019 before a disappointing sixth place finish saw him fail to defend his title in Eugene last year.
The Diamond League’s therefore provides him with the best possible preparations as it will see him come up against elite acts who are likely going to be his competitors in Budapest.
There was no men’s 1,500m in Doha, hence the 27-year-old’s decision to go for the 3,000m, and given his performance, his camp will be encouraged that he is not far off the levels required.
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