Kenya stars report to camp for final London 2017 Worlds preparations

Kenya's final preparations for the London 2017 IAAF World Championships are set to begin in earnest from Monday after top athletes started trickling into their residential training camp in Nairobi.

Beijing 2015 Worlds champions, Ezekiel Kemboi (men's 3000m steeplechase) and David Rudisha (men's 800m) as well as men's 10,000m silver medallist, Geoffrey Kamworor are among the handful of athletes who made it to camp by Sunday.

Two-time Olympic champion Rudisha who is bidding for a third world title having won the two-lap crown at the Daegu 2011 edition in South Korea and China two years ago reassured on his form after an underwhelming season by his standards.

"I was worse off last year when I started and it has been so since I injured my knee three seasons ago. But I will beat it and get back to shape to defend my title in London," said Rudisha who set the 1:40.91 world record in winning the Olympics crown in London.

His teammates in the provisional team, Kenya Trials winner Emmanuel Korir, Diamond League winner, Ferguson Rotich and world junior champion Kipyegon Bett were also in camp.

At the same time, three-time World Cross title winner Kamworor reiterated his desire to dethrone British distance running great Mo Farah in front of his home crowd in the men's 10,000m re-match.

"We have been so predictable and during the Olympics in Rio, we came close and he even acknowledged the same. Now we need to polish up a few tricks and take it to him head on. We can't continue playing second fiddle," said Kamworor.

Beijing bronze winner, Paul Tanui-who trailed Farah across the line for the second medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics-and fourth place finisher Bedan Karoki will partner Kamworor in the 25-lap race.

Athletics Kenya had given athletes selected in the team a Sunday deadline to report to the residential camp but some of the star athletes ran at the London Diamond League meeting over the weekend.

Source: Xinhua