London fall reminds me to go for gold in Rio-Sumgong

Jemimah Jelagat Sumgong hopes her second successive outing with Team Kenya will land her a big medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics after a commendable fourth finish marked her debut at last year’s IAAF World Championships in Beijing.

Despite finishing sixth at the 2015 London Marathon (2:24:23) Sumgong, 31, made the team and went on to run 2:27:42 to lose out on the battle for bronze that went to Bahrain’s Kenyan-born Eunice Jepkirui by only three seconds.

If her selection last year was debatable, there is no doubt Sumgong deserved to be the flag-bearer for her country after her resounding victory at this year’s London race where she recovered from a nasty fall to crush the loaded field in 2:22:58 on April 24.

She will partner Beijing silver winner, Helah Kiprop and Paris champion, Visiline Jepkesho with the decorated names of twice London winner, Mary Keitany and two-time Berlin champion, Florence Kiplagat only making the reserve list.

“When I was told that have been selected for the Olympics team, I was very excited and felt good. This will be my first time to represent Kenya at the Olympics. ” the elated Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) runner told Citizen Digital.

“We have not trained as a team together since it’s still very early for me considering that we just finished London late last month and I need to recover. But from next week we might start training together. We must work as a team to make sure win Kenya’s first women’s Olympic marathon gold medal,” she affirmed.

Following her Olympics call-up Sumgong cut short her recovery from London and resumed light routines as she awaits her bosses to give her the nod to resume full training.

“I have already started my preparation and I’m already at camp I do not want to let the team down,” she assured.

-Nearly woman-

Before the epic London victory Sumgong was quickly establishing a reputation as the ‘nearly woman’ of the World Marathon Majors (WMM) after second finishes in Boston (2012), Chicago (2013) and New York (2014).

It was her fourth career triumph over the classic distance after winning the 2011 Castellon (2:28:32), 2013 Rotterdam (2:23:27) and the 2006 Las Vegas (2:35:12/debut) marathons that are outside the elite circuit.

“Having been at second place for a long time, maybe it was not yet my time to win. After sometime, my coach changed my training programme and that’s when I was able to win,” she recalled.

Following her 2012 performance in Boston (2:31:52) where she lost the title to compatriot Sharon Cherop that was considered by many as her Majors breakthrough, the ever-smiling Sumgong was plunged into personal crisis.

She tested positive for the banned substance prednisolone in her post-race anti-doping test and was given a two-year ban from competition by Athletics Kenya.

However, she was cleared on appeal by the IAAF in September 2012, as the local injection which Sumgong had received was permitted under the governing body’s rules.

Cleared to race, Sumgong again finished behind Cherop at that year’s Philadelphia Half Marathon, taking third place.

Even her most-memorable victory at the British capital came at a steep price after she smashed her head hard on the tarmac besides surviving an intruder on the road before she dismantled reigning champion, Tigist Tufa (Ethiopia/2:23:03) for glory in the closing stages of the race.

“I have recovered from the fall. I fell on a stone, which gave me a permanent scar that will always remind me of the London Marathon.

“It will also remind I never gave up and became London champion. It also taught me that no matter the many challenges you face have a positive attitude and be confident. I did so and I won,” she cheerfully told.

Before she travelled back to her native home, her employer, Kenya Defence Forces held a colourful ceremony to toast to her victory where her Moi Airbase colleagues mounted a guard of honour.

“My bosses were very delighted with my performance, I felt appreciated and honoured. It highly motivated me since I did not expect such a ceremony. I will make sure that I shall not let them down in Rio.

“My predecessor’s did not manage to win Kenya her first gold medal, if I do my training well and we work as a team I believe that I shall bring the medal back which I shall dedicate it to my family,” she asserted with confidence.

Hailing from the Nandi District in Kenya, Sumgong began to compete abroad in 2004. In one of her first elite races, she came second at the Gothenburg Half Marathon.

She started to establish herself as a runner on the American road circuit in 2005 where she won the Ogden Newspapers Classic Half Marathon and Maggie Valley Moonlight Run that year before her switch to the marathon the next season.