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Kiplangat targets Farah in Doha

Xinhua, May 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

World 5,000m bronze medallist Isaiah Kiplangat eyes on dethroning Britain's double Olympic Champion Mo Farah in Doha Diamond League.

Two years ago, in Moscow, Farah held firm to confirm his status as the best in the 5,000m distance when he beat Kiplangat to third with Ethiopia's Hagos Gebrhiwet second at the World Championships.

The trio have since avoided each other and will repeat their rivalry in Doha on Friday.

"I am ready for the challenge. I have done enough and wanted to test my speed at the Athletics Kenya (AK) Weekend meeting in Kisii. That is why I competed in the 1,500m distance," said Kiplangat on Monday.

"In Doha, I meet again with Farah in the 3,000m and maybe he will win. This is because I am just starting my season and he has been active. But the focus is on the World Championships and I want to win in Beijing," he said.

At the London Olympics, Kiplangat was a disappointing fifth in a race Farah won before his home fans. But Kiplangat now says records will stand for nothing this season as the two go head to head starting with Doha Diamond League meeting.

"I will see where I belong at the Doha meeting," he said. "The season is starting and every athlete wants to win. But I have to see how I fare on with the best and that is why it is important to put in my best against Farah."

For the World Championships in Beijing, Kiplangat is facing some frustration from the Kenya team.

"We are not working as a team. In Moscow, I was selected as the sacrificial lamb and did the pace work. But when I signaled my colleagues to take over the roles in the final lap and sprint to the title, there was no one. They had dropped back and I had to try and salvage something. That is why I delayed the sprint and took bronze," he said. Endite