Sumgong predicts tough selection for 2017 Worlds

Olympic marathon champion and World Marathon Majors series leader Jemima Sumgong believes competition for slots in the Kenya women’s team for the IAAF 2017 World Championships in London will be tough.

Sumgong who made history after becoming the first Kenyan female runner to strike Olympics marathon gold in Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazil in August spoke after watching Florence Kiplagat defend her Chicago Marathon title on Sunday at Tortoise Hotel in Kapsabet on Sunday.

“We are strong team but we haven’t been selected. We don’t know if Florence will go to Boston or London. I know I will go and defend my title in London because I won this year, so those who will come, we shall come together so we run the London marathon 2017, Kenya now has a huge depth of talent,’’ the Olympics gold medallist Citizen Digital.

The 31 year-old said next year’s major city marathons in April namely’ London, Boston, Rotterdam and Paris will help Athletics Kenya in selecting the best female marathon runners for the Worlds.

Kenya will be out to reclaim the title that was won by Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba last year with Helah Kirop coming only a second behind for silver where Sumgong finished just outside the podium in fourth after being beaten to bronze by Bahrain’s Eunice Kirwa.

In Brazil, Sumgong beat Kenyan born Kirwa and neighbour to the gold as the Bahraini took silver.

Sumgong is currently the Majors 2016/17 cycle Series Leader in the women’s marathon with 50 points, followed by Kiplagat with 34 and Ethiopia’s Aberu Kebede in third with 25.

In every Majors race, 25 points are awarded to a professional athlete for a first place finish in any of the qualifying races plus the Olympics and Worlds in the year they occur.

Kiplagat added her points from the recent Chicago Marathon where she clocked 2:21:32 and the Virgin Money London Marathon where she took third position for nine points.