Kenyan Manangoi missing camaraderie of training in groups

Before the spread of the coronavirus, Kenyan Elijah Manangoi spent most of his days’ training alongside compatriot Timothy Cheruiyot, his successor as world 1500m champion.

But now the Kenyan middle-distance runner is having to get used to training alone as he tries to prepare for a return to racing.

“When this thing came up, we (everyone in the Rongai Athletics Club) went to their families,” he told Enda, in an interview published on RunnersTribe.com. “I am training alone; I don’t have a team.

“In terms of morale, that can be quite tough you know. Missing out on that camaraderie must be the most challenging bit for every runner in Kenya and across the world, not just in my club.”

The 27-year-old is in the midst of his peak years as a middle-distance athlete and would have been ready to challenge the best in the world this season.

“I was preparing for all Diamond Leagues, including starting in Doha and it was cancelled, after Doha, I was looking at going to Stockholm for 1500m, then Eugene but we don’t have that now, all diamond leagues are cancelled, so we are going to be patient then wait when things will get back to normal before we can go back to the track.”

As for Manangoi’s Olympic aspirations, they have also been put on hold.

“I was looking forward to running in Tokyo, that was my biggest factor this year but we have to wait until next year, it was postponed to 2021.”

In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo