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Beijing champion Kiyeng lusts for Olympic glory

Xinhua, January 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kenya's steeplechase winners Hyvin Kiyeng and Milcah Chemos are not the best of friends and they don't intend to change that ahead of the Rio Olympics.

The two are bidding to win for the country its first Olympic gold in the water and barrier event. Chemos, 27, won gold in Moscow in 2013, but Kiyeng capitalized on Chemos absence through injury from Beijing World Championships to secure the title.

However, with Chemos back in training after recovering from her back disc injury, the equation will change as the country best steeplechasers seek glory in Rio.

"I have my respect for Kiyeng and we will work together. But I must say that my one year away has taken so much out of me and I need to regain my fitness, then secure ticket at the explosive Kenya trials before focusing on the Olympics," Chemos said on Wednesday from Eldoret.

However, enjoying her best form in a long while, Kiyeng, 23, has thrown down the gauntlet and confirmed she wants to hold both the world and Olympic titles.

Inspired by her quick rise to world champion in Beijing, Kiyeng says she still in dreamland and wants to prove her critics wrong in Rio that her win was deserved.

"I was least expected to win. I was not the favourite and I went on to win," she said. "But I will be under a lot of pressure to repeat the same performance in Rio. But that can wait. Now the focus as I return to training is to get in best position."

Being the world champion, Kiyeng does not need to worry about going through the Kenyan trials, as she holds a wild card. But she will have to compete there to test the waters ahead of the real battle in Brazil.

"Every time I see the gold medal from Beijing in my cabinet, I get emotional and want more. Next is Rio and I have no doubt it will be possible to win there too. The victory in Beijing was the happiest moment of my life," she added.

In Beijing, Kenya entered Kiyeng, Virginia Nyambura and Rosefline Chepng'etich. With Chemos injured the focus was on IAAF Diamond League winner Nyambura, but she faded away to fifth in the final.

But she is bound to come back stronger and Kiyeng is relishing another battle both at home and in Rio, which she believes she can take in her strides. Endit