Poor preparations cost us in Portland- Choge

Returning IAAF World Indoor Championships bronze medallists, Margaret Nyairera and Augustine Choge have expressed heartbreak over the below par performance of the Kenyan team that finished 25th among the 28 nations who medalled at the biennial event.

Speaking after arriving from Portland, USA on Tuesday night, team captain and veteran, Choge who took the third medal in the men’s 3000m lamented they were let down by poor preparations.

“We all tried our best and although we did not meet the expectations of many, we gave our all in Portland. Indoor is a bit challenging to us since we are not well conversant with the event. With good training and preparation, we can compete better against the best,” the 2012 World Indoor silver medallist at the same distance and 2006 Commonwealth 5000m champion said at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The 2012 World Junior champion Nyairera who was running for the first time for her country as a senior hailed her performance saying she was proud.

The 21-year-old who just completed her high school and only just recently turned professional says she plans to train harder as she aims at bringing home more medals.

“From the time I was in school, I realized that I had talent which I promised myself to make good use of. I am happy that I can now see the fruits of my hard work. I train with the Airforce in Nyeri and it pleases me working with them and hopefully if I keep this momentum going I see myself excelling in the coming Olympics,” the bronze Medalist said.

“The Government should support us by first of all building an indoor field so that we can be able to improve ourselves with quality training,” she urged.

The 2016 Rio Olympics are set to begin August this year and both medallists have already shifted focus to the event ahead of the start of outdoor season in May.

Choge is preparing for the men’s 5000m race while Nyairera is aiming to be the second Kenyan female 800m champion in history after Beijing 2008 pioneer, Pamela Jelimo.

Kenya sent a team of 10 to Portland including the men 3000m defending champion, Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku who failed to hold on to the crown won by Ethiopian teenager Yomif Kejelcha.

Report by Mercy Rop