Metto hails Kipchoge despite missing sub 2hr mark
London Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge (right) leads former Boston Marathon winner Wesley Korir (second right), Uganda's Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich (fourth right) and other athletes during a training session at the University of Eldoret grounds on July 19, 2016. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |
What you need to know:
- The record of Dennis Kimetto still stands and it’s just a matter of time before it’s lowered very soon.
Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge on Saturday ran the fastest time in the world when he clocked 2:00:24 missing the target of sub two by 25 seconds.
Kipchoge, in the company of Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadese and Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa ran the race in Monza Grand Prix circuit in Italy in an event organized by Nike in a bid to get a sub two time.
The record of Dennis Kimetto still stands and it’s just a matter of time before it’s lowered very soon.
One man who was left celebrating the most is his coach Richard Metto, who has been with him all through during his training in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Metto said he is very happy with Kipchoge’s achievement which he attributed to sheer hard work and discipline in training.
“I’m very happy to see an athlete whom I train running the best time and it has given the others morale to work hard. I must say the good results is as a result of his hard work and determination to run under two hours,” said Metto.
Interestingly, the coach and his training counterparts had gone for speed work session at Moi University Annex campus track in Eldoret early in the morning when they learnt that the race could be watched online.
“We had gone to our usual speed work at Moi University Annex Campus track when we were told that we could watch him online running. We stopped everything and watched him run all the way to the finish line where he missed his target by 25 seconds,” said Metto who is under Global Sports Communication management.
His training mate and World Cross Country champion Geoffrey Kamworor said that he was personally thrilled with Kipchoge’s performance adding that he is very happy to be associated with the best athlete in the world.
“I’m very happy to be associated with the finest athlete on earth. He has done us proud as Global team and it has given a lot of morale to the athletes who train with him to work extra hard,” said Kamworor.
Viola Kibiwott, who was third in Hamburg Marathon recently, said that Kipchoge had set the pace for the upcoming athletes proving that there is nothing impossible.
