Abel Kipsang eyes gold at World Championships in Budapest
The 2022 World Indoor Championships 1500m bronze medalist, Abel Kipsang will be targeting gold in his specialty at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
"I'm aiming for gold, but if things go wrong, I should be able to finish on the podium in Budapest," said Kipsang in an exclusive interview on Monday.
Kipsang has been honing his skills at the Traffic Police headquarters training ground under the watchful eye of legendary athletics coach Alfred Sang.
The National Police officer will attempt to beat his personal best time of 3:31.65, which he set at the Tokyo Games last year.
"I also want to beat my previous best time. I've already clocked a 3:29.56 and my new goal is a 3:28.00."
Kipsang expressed his satisfaction with his performance at the weekend's Kip Keino Classic at Moi Stadium in Kasarani. He clocked 3:32.70 minutes to finish second to Reynold Kipkorir, who won in 3:32.01.
"I prepared well for the race, and my body was in top shape. I'm pleased with the time I set at Kasarani. I'm hoping to accomplish a lot more in the coming events," Kipsang remarked.
With his sights set on boarding the Team Kenya jet to Budapest, Kipsang is overjoyed to have already met the qualification standards for the much-anticipated annual global extravaganza, which will be held in August.
"The qualification time set by World Athletics is 3:34.20, and I managed a 3:32.70 at the Kip Keino Classic on Saturday," Kipsang stated.
Despite the stiff competition he is going to face in Budapest from a talented field of rivals, Kipsang says he is not nervous.
"I'm not training with any particular opponent in mind. It's all about getting the greatest time possible to give me an advantage in competition."
He will rely primarily on his extensive knowledge and superior skill to lead him to stardom in Budapest.
Kipsang won the bronze medal at the 2022 World Indoor Championships in Belgrade after finishing fourth in the 1500m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
At the 2019 African Games in Rabat, he competed in his first international competition, finishing fourth in the 800m with a time of 1:45.43 mins.
On June 9, 2021, in Marseille, he ran a personal best of 3:32.6 in the 1500m. He had placed third at the Kenyan Olympic trials 10 days earlier, securing his spot in the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
His score from Marseille put him in the top ten in the world. Kipsang achieved a new Olympic record in the semifinals of the 1500m on August 5, 2021, in Tokyo, clocking 3:31.65, to improve his personal best.
This record was eventually surpassed by Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who ran 3:28.32 in the final, while Kipsang finished fourth in 3:29.56. Timothy Cheruiyot won silver in 3:29.01, while Josh Kerr finished third in 3:29.05.
In 2022, he won a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, clocking a personal best of 3:33.36 and finishing behind Samuel Tefera (3:32.77) and Ingebrigtsen (3:33.02).
posted Tuesday May 16th
by Tony Mballa