)
The Harambee Stars skipper expressed his delight at seeing his compatriot obliterate the field in the Qatari capital
Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga has congratulated Faith Kipyegon for her blistering win at the season-opening Doha Diamon League meeting on Friday.
Olunga was among a huge contingent of Kenyan supporters at the Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium who made the atmosphere electric and was delighted by the closing act which saw Kipyegon claim victory in a world lead 3:58.57.
With the women’s 1,500m being the last on the roster, the two-time world champion stayed in the leading pack before sprinting off in the final lap, shrugging off Ethiopian Diribe Welteji who threatened to spoil her party, to claim victory in what was her first competitive race of the season.
Olunga, who plays for Doha-based Al-Duhail, would later meet the Olympic champion and congratulate her, posting a cryptic message on Facebook: “Congrats to World Champ Faith Kipyegon. Umewaramba.”
The former Gor Mahia striker took time off his busy schedule, having scored his 18th league goal of the season on Thursday, as Al-Duhail lost 3-1 to champions Al Sadd before focusing on Monday’s encounter at home to Al-Shamal.
Kipyegon, meanwhile, will be encouraged by her win as she prepares for a grueling season that will culminate in the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August.
The 29-year-old has also not given up on her ambitions of lowering the 1,500m world record of 3:50.07 currently held by Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba.
"My huge goal is to win the World Championships and break the world record this year,” Kipyegon said after the race.
"I am very pleased with my start of the season, it was an exciting race, but a little bit windy, so I decided to not push too much and just focus on winning the race. I have been training well for this,” she added, on why a world record was not possible in Doha.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)