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Kenya's Masai rebound from injury, sets focus on Olympics

Xinhua, January 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

Former World 10,000m champion Linet Masai of Kenya said she has overcome her ankle and hamstring injury which have kept her out of competition last season.

Masai, 26, is keen to return to track competition and battle for qualification in the 10,000m distance during the Kenyan trials in July for the Rio Olympics.

Her last major race was back in 2013, before she went on sabbatical to give birth to her first born child.

However, her return to action was hampered by niggling injuries and she believes she has found the right remedy to overcome them and focus on the Olympics.

"I have been in rehabilitation for two years, maybe because of the time I took off in motherhood, but returning to action has been slowed down by my injuries.

"But my body is responding well to training and I believe, I will be able to challenge for medals and ticket to the Olympics in the explosive Kenyan trials," said Masai, Friday in Nairobi.

Indeed, Masai showed glimpse of her past form when she finished third at the Campaccio cross country race in San Giorgio, Italy on Tuesday.

"I have been out for some time and to get a slot in the Kenya team is always difficult. But I believe in my talent and work and will let my legs do the talking during the trials," she said.

For now, Masai together with a horde of long distance Kenyan runners will be focusing on qualifying for the Africa Cross Country Championships, which will be held in March in Yaounde, Cameroon. The event is good in testing athletes' endurance.

Masai, 26, a four time silver medallists in the senior women 8km race, has not given up hope on winning gold in the Olympics. In Beijing Olympics in 2008, Masai was fourth clocking 30:26.50.

"I still have my chance. I still have over eight years in this career and that is long enough for me to win," she said.

In Italy, it was Kenya's Alice Aprot who won the race. Aprot, the All-Africa Games 10,000m champion, won the women's race in a course record of 18:56, holding off Asian steeplechase record-holder Ruth Jebet from Bahrain by five seconds.

The 2009 world 10,000m champion Linet Masai finished third in 19:02, 12 seconds in front of 2012 Campaccio winner Mercy Cherono.

Aprot now aims for Olympic berth in the 10,000 m only.

"My aim was to test my performance in competitive race. I am going to my camp to prepare the track season. My goal is to qualify for the Olympic Games in the 10,000m." Endit