Kenya's Lagat dreams to follow brother's success at Beijing worlds

Kenya's training camps churn out new athletes and the arrival of Viola Lagat has prompted a rummage through the roots of her history and a fascination of what has gone into the making of this champion.

Lagat, 26, will be the dark horse in Kenya's 1,500m team at the Beijing World Championships, which starts in the Chinese Capital from Aug. 22-30.

While the world's focus will be on Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia after she set a world record in Monaco Diamond League in the four lap race, Lagat will wait on the periphery to pounce and announce her arrival at the big stage.

"I am very happy to have made the Kenya team," she said on Friday in Nairobi.

"I have been focused on other things and academics and never gave athletics its due respect. But it is my brother American and former world champion Bernard Lagat, who encouraged me to take up running and am now enjoying each moment."

Indeed, Viola is too excited about the prospect of pulling on the Kenyan team jersey, that she is teasing her brother of the reversed roles as he will be watching her on the track.

"I am too happy, when the kit arrives I will put it on to show to him and feel proud to be representing Kenya," she said.

"I have been competing in Arizona and Florida and won in cross country and track competition in USA. I can't wait to get that uniform and I was texting my brother saying I may wear the uniform even before the competition and it is really good."

Kenya will be represented by three athletes in the women's 1,500 meters led by Commonwealth Games 1,500m champion Faith Chepng'etich, Nancy Chepkwemoi and Lagat.

Viola Lagat intends to remain a Kenyan unlike her brother who started by competing for Kenya before he switched to American citizenship. Endi