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With her sights set on next year’s Olympics, the world’s highest-ranked distance runner believes that each event is preparation for the Olympics.
For one of the best distance runners in the world, Brigid Kosgei, 2020 Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) is a set-up for the most important race of his career: the Tokyo Olympics.
Speaking at the pre-race press conference on Thursday, the Kenyan underscored her ambition to win a gold medal at the Games and said that every event she competes in is in preparation for the ‘big one’.
“Preparations for the Olympics are underway, albeit at a slow pace given the situation (of the COVID-19 pandemic),” the Kenyan said.
“But my goal is to win that gold at Tokyo 2020. In the coming months, I will take the training a little higher.
“I believe that every event that I compete is part of my training. My focus is on the Olympic gold. Everything I do until that race is part of my training. Even here, it is a strong field. For me, everyone is a winner. I see a very tough race on Sunday ”.
Brigid Kosgei has been the talk of the running community since her record breaking feat in 2019 Chicago Marathon.
Kosgei, 26, had an incredible run last year to break Paula radcliffe16-year-old world record in the women’s marathon. The Kenyan continued her form to win the London marathon too.
Brigid Kosgei returned to the English capital to successfully defend her London Marathon crown six weeks ago.
On the reverse of this form, the top-ranked runner in a full marathon will hit the streets of New Delhi on Sunday for the ADHM. But the Kenyan realizes that her job will not be easy.
“After London, I took 10 days off, but since then I have had six weeks of very good preparation for this race,” said Kosgei.
“I have a good record in half marathons, but I am not going to make predictions about this race because it is a very tough field. Some of the ladies may be better prepared as they competed in the Half Marathon World Championship last month.”
Hoping to pose a tough challenge to Brigid Kosgei in ADHM 2020 will be the two-time defending champion in New Delhi, Tsehay Gemechu from Ethiopia.
Gemechu, 21, predominantly a track runner, has run just three half marathons in her short career so far, winning all three. While two of his victories came in New Delhi, he also won the victory in the Egmond Half Marathon in the Netherlands earlier this year.
While the pandemic stopped life shortly after, Tsehay Gemechu reported that her training continued without much hiccup.
“I think we have all been training well. There have been hardly any concerns on that front, ”Gemechu said.
“The only change is that we no longer train in groups. It depends on individual training. And with no competition to wait for most of the season, athletes have returned hungrier at each post-pandemic event. “
