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Kenya's Olympic bronze medalist to compete in Berlin Half marathon

Xinhua, March 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

With over a month before the London Marathon, Olympic bronze medalist Wilson Kipsang of Kenya will head back to Europe for a race, the Berlin Half Marathon on April 3.

All focus is of course to get his body into the best condition ahead of the London marathon on April 24, which will be used by Kenya as the qualifying event for the Rio Olympics.

Kipsang has run sparingly since he finished second at the New York marathon in November, finishing behind compatriot Stanley Biwott.

On Feb. 24, he was seventh at the Ras Al Khaimah marathon, his only race so far this year. But he feels another race will add value to his preparations as he seeks to compete in what he terms his last Olympics.

"I am satisfied with my progress so far and I'm looking forward to go back to London and race again," he said on Monday in Nairobi.

"I learned a lot about where I am with my training and what I need to work on for the upcoming months after competing at the Ras Al Khaimah half marathon in UAE."

Indeed, the former world half marathon champion has been focusing more on his speed work. He believes he has lost the last two marathons in London and New York in 2015 owing to poor sprinting prowess.

But he will not sit back and wait the same to happen this year as he seeks to reclaim the London title and ticket to represent Kenya at the Rio Olympics in August.

But that for the time being can wait. Kipsang says he has small matter of proving critics wrong at the Berlin Half Marathon on April 3.

"For now I will continue training in Iten and Ngong, when I'm in Nairobi," he said. "I enjoyed the break I took after the New York marathon. It was nice to spend some quality time with my family and invests time to fulfill my responsibilities as Professional Association of Athletes of Kenya (PAAK) president."

"During this time I never stopped training and I'm eager to run a race again. This is going to be a promising year for me. My training is going very well and I'm fully focused. I have been preparing for the London marathon," he added.

Other top runners Kipsang will come up against in London include Biwott, who beat him in New York, current Berlin and London champion Eliud Kipchoge, Geoffrey Kamworor, Emmanuel Mutai and Sammy Kitwara. Endi