World 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri is confident of replicating Vivian Cheruiyot’s 2011 Daegu feat when the World Championships get underway on Friday in Doha, Qatar.
Obiri called on Kenyans to pray, seat back and wait for a thriller that will see her take a shot at 10,000m title on Saturday before seeking to retain the 5,000m crown.
The women’s 10,000m final will fall on the second day for the championship on Saturday while the women’s 5,000m first round will be held on the sixth day of the competition on October 2.
Cheruiyot led compatriots Sally Kipyego and Linet Masai in a sweep of all the podium places in women’s 10,000m during the 2011 Daegu World event before she also guided Sylvia Kibet in a 1-2 finish in women’s 5,000m final.
Obiri, who is also the Commonwealth and Africa 5,000m champion, leaves the country on Thursday at 5pm for Doha. Her colleagues in 10,000m, World 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tirop and Rosemary Wanjiru are already in Doha.
“I know people could be having doubts whether I have sustained my good form from winning the World Cross Country title in March this year,” said Obiri. “It’s true that it can be a challenge to be on form the whole season but I want to tell Kenyans that I am in great shape.”
Obiri said she is aware that her rivals like Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands and Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey will also double but warned them to prepare for a thrilling contest.
Meanwhile, more members of Team Kenya are expected to continue jetting out for Doha with printers Gladys Musyoki and Joseph Poghisio leaving at dawn on Thursday.
The next batch of 24 athletes and officials will leave on Saturday night while World 1,5000m champion Faith Chepng’etich is due out on Monday next week.
The men’s marathon and 10,000m teams will be the last to depart on October 3.
Meanwhile, the 2007 World 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei will be attending this year’s World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Jepksogei will be in Doha to receiver her World 800m silver from the 2011 Daegu World event. Jepkosgei, who had won bronze in the event, was elevated to silver after Russian Mariya Savinova, who had won gold, was busted for doping. South Africa’s Caster Semenya, who had claimed silver, scaled to gold.
