Kenyan 4x400m relay team is ready to perform to their best at the upcoming Rio Olympic Games in Brazil as former world youth 400m silver medalist Alphas Kishoyan is one of the most successful runners who will anchor the rest.
The 2011 silver medalist at the Commonwealth Youth Games said he will use his experience on track to help his team win gold at the Samba nation games.
He competed in 4x400m relays that was disqualified at the London Olympic Games four years ago that he wants to redeem the image.
Kishoyan will run with the same team that has won three medals for the country in international competitions. He will join forces with Alex Sampao, Boniface Mweresa, Alex Kibet and Kosgey Kiprono.
'We are going to Brazil for a win and not anything else,” said the Japan based runner who recalls the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona where he competed a lone.
“I still remember the Barcelona World Junior championships when I competed against myself,” said Kishoyan after a morning training at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret.
He had a brilliant solo re-run to qualify for the final race after the starter failed to notice that the sprinter was not ready to start when the gun went off in the third semi final to qualify for 400m final cloaking 48 seconds.
Another new coming sprinter Raymond Kibet said he was privileged to run for his country at the Olympics saying the privilege has propelled him to an international material and promised to do well as the team as training is going on very well.
“I have represented my country in various races and I hope this time at the Olympics, all will be well. I competed at the World relays in Bahamas and in Congo during the All Africa Games gold medal,” said Kibet.
“This is my first time to compete with big fish. You know people here are experienced in this field and I hope training with them will really help me. If my body responds well as it is, I want to lower by personal best in Olympic Games,” said Kibet.
He added that he has won the relays 4x400m at the All Africa Games in Congo last year, that was his first medal for the country and he remember that they ran very well with good time (3:00) and it has been very long time since they ran together.
“I hope going to the Olympics to make the medal bracket in relays again because I believe it is possible because we have capable sprinters here,” he said, adding that the main challengers will be the USA, Jamaican, Belgium and in the game you can't despise anybody since Olympics is totally a different game.
“I do have respect for Kishoyan, Sampao and Boniface Mweresa and I are capable of doing best though I don't fear anybody since everybody can do wonders depending on the training and body response.”
low speaking runner Kosgey Kiprono said “I expect to reach finals in Rio games, the way we did in Congo and Durban. We ran with Kibet, Sampao Mweresa and me. I will deliver according to my ability that God gave me.”