Keitany calm as she eyes Tokyo Olympics

Four-time New York City Marathon champion Mary Keitany is still hungry for more accolades as she eyes next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.

After a quiet 2019 season that saw her relinquish her New York City marathon title after placing second and finishing fifth at the London Marathon, Keitany will be looking to bounce back next season with the Summer Games a major target for the veteran athlete.

“After the New York City Marathon, I came home to relax and recover and by the start of next year I will have known what will follow up for the season,” Keitany told Citizen Digital at the sidelines of the just concluded Athletics Kenya Athletes’ Conference in Eldoret.

The 37-year-old athlete who is looking to add an Olympic gold to her glittering career spanning close to two decades is however wary of the tough competition that awaits her for the only three available slots for Kenya’s team to the competition.

“Yes, I will always represent my country whenever I am called upon. For now, I can’t talk about anything yet because I still have to consult my management. For Olympics I have to be patient because you know that in Kenya, we are blessed with very many talented athletes and so we have to relax and wait,” said Keitany.

The three-time London marathon champion came fourth at the 2012 Olympic Games held in London, United Kingdom but could not make it to the 2016 team for the Rio Games despite being named as one of the two reserve athletes.

Keitany whose success has majorly come from the World Major Marathons also wore Kenyan colours at the 2009 World Half Marathon championships held in Birmingham, United Kingdom where she struck a gold medal.

The athlete who trains in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County holds Women-only marathon record of 2:17:01 she set en route to her victory at the 2017 London Marathon.

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New York City marathon Mary Keitany Tokoyo Olympics

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