Bond with Karoki special Kamworor

The 2016 Cardiff World Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor has hailed his off-track relationship with silver medalist, Bedan Karoki, saying it was key in their memorable triumph over double Olympic and world champion, Mo Farah.

He says they train together on several occasions and competed in a number of races establishing a strong bond.

“We held a small conversation before the race began and promised each other to push ourselves to the limit,” he told Citizen Digital.

And Farah acknowledged their bond played a huge role in beating him on the day in front of his adoring home fans.

“The guys went for it from the beginning. From three or four miles in the race they were at the front controlling it. I knew they would work together, and they were talking throughout the race. And then the gap just got bigger and bigger and I couldn’t close it,” Farah conceded in his post-race interview.

Last year, Kamworor led Karoki to the 1-2 in Guiyang, China with the pair trading the last two National Cross Country titles where the latter beat him to the tape in 2015 before the Cardiff winner dethroned him in February.

“I had to train each day and mostly had so little time for sleep. It’s been consistent hard work and the determination not to let my country down that helped me achieve what I did,” the 23-year old added after being only the third man in history to win back-to-back World Half titles.

“I knew my family and fans across the country expected a lot and I am so happy I was able to repay their belief in me,” the IAAF World Cross champion and men 10,000 World Championships silver winner underscored.

Kamworor resumes training on Monday in Kaptagat, Eldoret where he will plot his assault for the men 10000m Olympics title with his coaches Patrick Sang, Richard Meto and Emmy Koech

The 2011 Punta Umbria World Cross junior men champion is  aware all eyes will be on a rematch with Farah in Brazil as he thanked his Global Sports stable-mates, London and Berlin Marathon champion, Eliud Kipchoge as well as former London and New York winner, Emmanuel Mutai for motivation.

Report by Mercy Rop