Off the wire
• IMF says regional economic growth in Africa affected by low oil price, mounting insecurity  • Kenya's Karako targets gold in Rio Olympics, World Half Marathon  • FAO predicts poor crop yields in Zambia due to poor rains  • China, South Korea exchange views on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue  • Two-game Cup ban for Suarez  • Pakistan expresses concern over DPRK nuclear test  • Spotlight: Experts suggest trilateral talks on dealing with nuclear issue of DPRK  • Petition underway to award Nobel Peace prize to Greek islanders for helping refugees  • Hannover sign youngster striker Marius Wolf  • CBA Roundup: Sichuan beat Tianjin despite Crawford's 72 points  
You are here: 　 Home

Kenya's Kogo to use Paris marathon performance to secure Olympic slot

Xinhua, January 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

After his failure to win a championship medal in his early career, Micah Kogo of Kenya has penciled the Olympic marathon as his best bet to break the jinx in Rio in August.

Kogo, 29, is the former world record holder in the 10 kilometers road race with a time of 27:01, and is the second fastest after countryman Leonard Komon.

He has been entered in Paris marathon in April and believes, he will win it to force his way into the Kenya team.

"I have done well on track, but never won a gold medal. But I believe, if given a chance in marathon, I will deliver," he said, Friday in Nairobi.

"I want to win in Paris to convince the selectors, I have potential to win gold in Rio."

However, Kogo knows that making the Kenya marathon team is harder than winning the gold medal itself in the Olympics.

From a group of over 100 marathon runners who have clocked below 2:10.00, Kogo will find it hard to pick his place in the choking field.

Three years after making his marathon debut, Kogo feels that he is now ready to make a name for himself at the classic distance.

He transitioned from a successful career on the track, in which he won Olympic silver in the 10,000m, has completed six marathons.

His marathon personal best time of 2:06:56 comes from the 2013 Chicago Marathon, while his top marathon placing so far is a runner-up spot at the 2013 Boston Marathon, his debut at the distance.

While he has not been able to improve on these performances in the following years, he is confident that he can perform well at this year's Paris Marathon, which he hopes will earn him a spot on the Kenyan team to Rio. Endit