Kenya's Nderitu banks on experience to win marathon at C'wealth Games

   NAIROBI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Copenhagen Marathon champion Julius Nderitu of Kenya is one of the fastest Master's marathon athletes, but he will not allow age to hinder his dream to win Kenya his first medal at an international platform.

  Nderitu, at 42, will be the oldest in the Kenya contingent to the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia from April 4-15.

  He will team up with 2013 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon winner Kenneth Mungara Mburu and Nicholas Kamakya, a 2011 Gold Coast Marathon winner.

  The trio have clear instruction to do whatever it takes to reclaim the marathon men's title, which was last won by Australian Michael Shelley at the Glasgow, Scotland Games in 2014.

  "It has been a long wait and finally I have my call to run for Kenya. At 42, there is nothing to be worried about. I have seen it all and will be out there to prove just to myself that the wait was worth it. Only a gold medal will befit my coronation as I feel this will be the last chance for me to represent Kenya," he said on Thursday in Nairobi.

  Gold Coast is expected to be humid and hot, but it is a challenge that Nderitu will happily welcome.

  "I have not been to Gold Coast but my teammates have participated in that race before. I rely on their experience to know what to train for and I hope the flat course will enable me improve on my best time. I am inspired to win this race," he said.  Enditem