All eyes on Chepng'etich

Olympics Games 1,500m champion Faith Chepng’etich has laid down a marker as she lands in London for the IAAF World Championships showpiece that starts tomorrow.

Apart from her perennial rivals, Ethiopian’s Genzebe Dibaba and Sifan Hassan of Netherlands, there is a third force in the lineup; Caster Semenya, a dominant force in 800m, who said she will double in London.

Chepng’etich (pictured), 23, who will team up with Judy Kiyeng, the younger sister of 3,000m steeplechase defending champion Hyvin Kiyeng, and Winny Chebet, have vowed to chase her opponents all the way to the podium.

“Genzebe, Semenya, Sifan are all in there but 1,500m race is tactical. I have some pressure because I’m lining up as an Olympic Champion and all eyes will be on me. I’m not afraid because the outcome of a championship is never known until it’s done,” said Chepng’etich, who announced her arrival on the track scene with a victory at the 2011 World Under-18 Championships in Lille, France.

Going to London as Olympics Champion has motivated her.

“I still can’t believe that my Rio performance played a key role in having electricity connected in my village. I hope to do well again. You never know what gesture my people might get this time round.”

Chepng’etich, who won silver in Beijing two years ago, launched her season with an eighth position finish at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda. Her compatriot, Irene Cheptai, claimed victory and will feature in the women’s 10,000m final.

After the Cross Country Championships, the former World Junior champion competed twice at the prestigious IAAF Diamond League Series, running a gun-to-tape race on her way to set a world lead of 3:59.22 in Shanghai in May, then finished second in Paris, with a season best of 3:57.51 behind Hassan.

The 2005 world Under-18 silver medallist Chebet, second during the national trials, is another athlete who has clocked a sub-four minute (3:59.1) time this season.

Other contenders include Konstanze Klosterhalfen of Germany, Ethiopian Besu Sado, world U20 silver medallist Fantu Worku, and Morocco’s Rababe Arafi.