Abel Kipsang puts slow start to season behind as he gears up for tough Olympic trials

Africa 1500m champion Abel Kipsang has disclosed the reason behind his slow start to the season and exuded confidence ahead of the Olympic trials scheduled for this weekend.

Africa 1500m champion Abel Kipsang has exuded confidence ahead of the Olympic trials scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Nyayo National Stadium.

Kipsang has been off to a mixed start to his season and he explained that his body took sometime to respond to training hence the slow start to his season. He opened his season at the national cross-country championships before make his season debut on the track during the African Games national trials.

He went to the African Games in Accra, Ghana where he finished second behind Brian Komen and then jetted back into the country for the Kip Keino Classic where she finished fifth in the 800m.

Kipsang then competed in the National Police Service Championships, where he won the race, before finishing 13th at the Diamond League Meeting in Doha. The Kenyan then finished 14th at the USTAF Los Angeles Grand Prix.

The 27-year-old also competed in the mile at the Prefontaine Classic, the Diamond League Meeting in Eugene, where he finished 12th.

“I know the trials are coming and this season I have not been at my best but I will fight hard and I’m very confident that I’ll make the cut to the Olympics team,” he told Pulse Sports.

“I didn’t have an injury but my body struggled to keep up the pace and was not responding to training the way I wanted. I sat down with my coach and trained well and I feel like my body is doing well at the moment."

The Alex Sang-coaches athlete added that the 1500m at the moment is very unpredictable and anyone can carry the day.

“You cannot win everyday because now in the 1500m, everybody is doing well and they will all be fighting for that Olympic slot,” Kipsang said.

“If I make the cut to the Olympics team, it will be something very nice. I can’t promise right now because I’m yet to qualify but if I do, I will work very hard.”

posted Thursday June 13th
by Abigael Wuafula