World 800m bronze medalist Ferguson Rotich says he wants to accomplished something only five others have already done before. The Kenyan wants to run sub 1:42 for the 800m. World record holder David Rudisha leads that elite group with a stunning 1:40.91, set at the London Olympic Games in 2012.
Positive Start To The Year
Rotich currently owns a personal best of 1:42.54, achieved at the 2019 Monaco Diamond League, and he said on Saturday, after capturing the men’s 800m title during the third and final leg of Athletics Kenya Relay Series, that he is targeting a time in the 1:41 area.
“I feel in better shape than before and I want to see how it goes this year. I want to run 1:41 perhaps in Monaco this year,” Rotich was quoted as saying in the Nation, after running 1:45.64 for the comfortable victory at the Nyayo National Stadium.
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After being limited last season due to the global coronavirus pandemic that affected the track and field calendar, the 31-year-old decided to begin his preparations for the season earlier than usual, especially seeing that it is an Olympic year.
“I started preparations in December unlike before when I delayed to January since I am not an Indoor championships athlete,” he added.
Rotich Wants To Win Back-To-Back Olympic Gold Medals
Rotich, who finished behind Donavan Brazier at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in 2019, is targeting an improved display at the Olympics in Tokyo, later this summer and is even looking ahead to the 2024 Games scheduled for Paris.
He finished fifth at the 2016 Rio Summer Games.
“I am like that good sweet wine that matures with age,” he revealed in the Nation. I can’t tell you that I will retire soon. In fact, I am focusing on Tokyo and the 2024 Paris Olympics. You see, the secret is to feed well and train well.”
On Saturday at the Athletics Kenya Relay Series, Rotich finished ahead of Commonwealth 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal, who ran 1:46.09 for second place, while Abel Kipsang was third in 1:46.36.
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