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African Games bronze medallist Vivian Chebet is keen to right the wrongs of the past at the Olympics as she teams up with Mary Moraa and Lilian Odira in hunt for 800m gold.
Vivian Chebet is keen to return the favour after her inclusion into Team Kenya’s 800m lineup for the Paris Olympics despite flopping at the trials.
Chebet could only manage fifth place at the Athletics Kenya Olympics trials in June but her saving grace was that only world champion Mary Moraa and Lilian Odira, who won the race, had hit the Olympics qualifying mark of 1:59.30.
It meant the third athlete to be selected by Athletics Kenya would be another one who had the required standard and that is how she ended up in the team, having hit 1:58.26 when finishing second to Moraa, at the Kip Keino Classic in April.
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18:53 - 19.07.2024
Veteran coach pleads with fans not to put a lot of pressure on Mary Moraa ahead of Paris Olympic Games
The veteran coach explained that Mary Moraa is an upcoming athlete who needs support from fans, and as she heads to Paris, they should all rally behind her and avoid having very high expectations.
Chebet has already represented Kenya at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, which did not go well, before she won bronze at the delayed African Games in Accra, Ghana early this year and she feels she has learnt from those experiences for a better performance at the Olympics.
“The difference is so big now because Budapest was like a learning process for me,” said Chebet.
“It was my first championship and I was wondering where I was. I was not sure I would reach there. I was a bit excited and also learnt my mistakes.
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07:15 - 18.07.2024
Fast rising 800m star Odira narrates inspiration behind joining athletics & her lofty dreams of dinning with greats
Lilian Odira, the latest 800m runner turning heads has gotten candid about when she ventured into athletics and her motivation of becoming a world champion one day.
“I have been preparing for the Olympics even if the trials did not go well for me, they still called me and included me in the team.
“It was difficult when I lost but the coach told me there are more races. I did not lose hope and decided to focus on my training.”
Chebet draws strength from the motivation she receives from his coach and has recently been encouraged by the camaraderie in camp with her team-mates Moraa and Odira.
“I am motivated by my coach who says if others can I also can,” she added.
“If Mary or Odira can, I can and it is just being relaxed and having the right mindset. Training together has brough unity and we are correcting each other as we look to do the same in Paris.”
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