Komon warns of Ethiopians’ trickery

By Mutwiri Mutuota

The national team training for the 37th World Cross in Amman has dismissed reported injuries of leading Ethiopian athletes as a ploy to lure them into false sense of security.

Ethiopia’s most potent distance runners led by six-time World Cross senior men champion, Kenenisa Bekele, three-time women title holder, Tirunesh Dibaba and Sileshi Sihine missed the country’s trials last Sunday.

“We cannot say that he (Bekele) is not going to run in Amman. It could just be a trick they are using to confuse us before springing a surprise on us,” Leonard Komon, the athlete who was led to the altar by Bekele at last year’s Edinburgh World Cross told FeverPitch.

“We are training as if he will be present. It seems every time the World Cross is near, Bekele is injured only for him to return to win. This time, we are working and focused to be equal to anyone, whether he is there or not,” Komon, who was given a wildcard in the team after Saturday’s trials said.

Intensive training

“I suffered a stitch in the last lap and I am grateful to be given a chance. It is my mission not to betray the faith but I am sure we will fight together as a team. My colleagues and I are in good spirits because we believe in bringing back victory home,” the World Cross silver winner and fourth finisher (junior) at the 2007 event in Mombasa noted.

Head coach, Julius Kirwa, who formally launched intensive training yesterday, echoed Komon’s sentiments on Bekele saying,

“We know what they are saying about their top runners and this is motivating us to train harder because they are up to their usual tricks.

“We cannot say we train for Bekele and his countrymen. We are focusing to face everybody who will start in Amman. We have the Eritreans, Kenya B and C as well as Uganda as some of the countries to think about,” the coach observed.

Distance running

He was alluding to Eritrea’s main hope and Mombasa 2007 champion, Zerseney Tadese and the Gulf States of Qatar and Bahrain now known as Kenya B and C for naturalising locally born athletes in their team. Neighbours Uganda are also becoming a force in distance running.

Kirwa said only national junior champion, John Kemboi and senior men wildcard, Mangata Ndiwa (2006 World Cross junior champion) had not reported to camp by yesterday afternoon. They were expected to report later in the day and the team will train in the Mbeere region that has similar conditions to Amman today.

|   |    |    Comments (0) |   Add Comment