Kamar Etiang ready to step into new season like a real champ

Kamar Etiang (left) and Vincent Keter celebrating after the latter winning the 1500M men race finals during World Athletics U20 Championships in 2021. INSET: 1500m athlete Etiang Kamar in a training session at Kipchoge Stadium, in Eldoret. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Kamar Etiang often speaks about the future with great confidence whenever he is asked about his plans.

After failing to meet the strict requirements to represent Kenya at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held in 2021, Etiang became a very rare figure on the podium and in major arena’s where top 1500m stars chase glory.

Etiang, 22, now says that he is back after nagging injuries slammed the brakes in his journey to 1500m pinnacle.

He had announced his arrival to the big stage in 2021 when he sprinted to a third place at the World Under-20 championships in Nairobi, but he couldn’t be awarded the bronze medal after he was disqualified for line infringement.

A nagging injury that followed the 2021 Tokyo Olympics disappointment disrupted his performances, he reveals.

The hip and hamstring injuries, Etiang says, have disrupted two years of his career.

“I have battled the injury for two years, but I am grateful that I have recovered from it,” he says.

“I am now well, and maybe I will be back, fully in the upcoming track season.” On Saturday, he finished second in men’s 2km loop behind Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi at the Athletics Kenya Iten cross county buildup leg.

Etiang was running his second cross country race this season after placing sixth in Kapsokwony late last month.

He said his participation in the Iten leg of AK cross country series was part of his buildups even as he gauges his recovery.

“I ran in Kapsokwony and finished sixth. I have confirmed that I have recovered well from injuries and ready to get into action. I am now starting well and hoping to be ready for the track season in 2025.”

“I started the Iten cross country race from behind and pushed myself to the limit before finishing second behind Emmanuel Wanyonyi. I fought hard and at halfway, I knew I was going to be on the podium,” he said.

Ahead of the the track season in 2025, Etiang is not shying away from revealing his plans.

He says he has been watching closely the tactics that 1500m bigwigs have been using to scoop medals at international championships, and he is upping his game ahead of the season.

“I want to double 1500m and 5000m upon my full return in the track season. Running 5000m will be a good buildup for 1500m; that is the tactic that many 1500m global stars are using,” he said.

“When you look at Jakob (Ingebrigtsen) of Norway, he trains and competes in 5000m that is why he is does well in 1500m. I want to apply the same tactic next season and see how it turns out.”

In 2021, Etiang was second at the national trials for Tokyo Olympics, sealing his place in Team Kenya to Tokyo, but it was later discovered that he had not met the requisite anti-doping control tests.

He had defeated big shots such as former World Champion Timothy Cheruiyot, George Manangoi, Ronald Kwemoi and Bethwell Birgen, among others to post his 1500m personal best, that time, of 3:33:12.

Earlier that year, Etiang was selected to the Kenyan Under-20 8km team for the African cross country championships in Togo, which were postponed.