Kenya’s Purity Chepkirui admits she has struggled to adapt to the senior degree after appreciable success within the juniors.
Chepkirui says it has not been a simple stroll within the park however is grateful to her coach for guiding her by way of course of.
“Adapting to the senior ranks has not been a simple factor however what has labored for me has been my confidence. Additionally, I thank God for my coach as a result of he has constantly inspired me to present my greatest and to not be afraid of different rivals within the senior ranks,” the 21-year-old mentioned.
Chepkirui broke onto the worldwide stage in September 2021 when she clocked 4:16.07 to win the ladies’s 1500m on the World Beneath 20 Championships in Nairobi.
She then added bronze to her medal assortment on the subsequent version of the championships in Cali, Colombia after clocking 4:07.64.
On the senior degree, her solely medal is gold ultimately yr’s World Cross Nation Championships in Belgrade, Serbia the place she clocked 22:15 as a part of Kenya’s blended relay crew.
She didn’t make the crew for the Paris Olympics however was in rivalry on the World Championships in Budapest in 2023 the place she ran 4:04.51 to complete a disappointing seventh in Warmth 4 of the ladies’s 1500m.
Chepkirui is rejuvenated for 2025 and says her sights are finally mounted on this yr’s World Championships in Tokyo.
“My final focus is to make the crew for the Tokyo World Championships. I can be working intently with my coach to make sure I’m higher ready for the nationwide trials,” she mentioned.
The teenager, who turns 22 on Valentine’s Day, was in motion at Saturday’s Nationwide Cross Nation Championships in Eldoret the place she triumphed within the girls’s 2km loop.
Chepkirui clocked 7:01.6 because the 2022 African 5000m champion Caroline Nyaga (7:04.3) and African 800m silver medalist Lillian Odira (7:08.2) completed second and third respectively.
