Warning shots fired to Timothy Cheruiyot and co. as World champion sets target ahead of Olympics

ATHLETICS Warning shots fired to Timothy Cheruiyot and co. as World champion sets target ahead of Olympics

Abigael Wafula 10:00 - 25.12.2023

The reigning World 1500m champion has fired warning shots at his opponents as he sets his eyes on the Olympic gold medal.

The men’s 1500m race at the Olympic Games promises to be a thrilling showpiece with dozens of athletes going for the coveted gold medal prize.

Scottish middle-distance runner Josh Kerr is not an exception and he has already set his targets ahead of the global showpiece.

Follow the Pulse Sports Kenya WhatsApp Channel for more news.

The World champion knows he has his work cut out and he is burning the midnight to ensure he impresses his fans one more time on the global showpiece.

He is already feeling an improvement in his fitness levels compared to this time last year and is bubbling with confidence.

“This year is going to present its own challenges and we need to understand that every plan has to be fluid, but it starts with me not missing days.

"I did that really well last year. I think I’ve probably missed maybe 10 days overall through injury and illness through the year, which isn’t a lot, and it was at the right times so that’s a big thing we work on every year.

"If I can build off what we did this year, and not miss days, then I’m going to put myself in a position to be available for that (Olympic) gold medal,” Kerr said as per Athletics Weekly.

Kerr is also working on his nutrition since he believes it is a huge deal, especially with his traveling nature. However, he has also placed emphasis on his strength and conditioning.

“I kind of max out about 75 miles a week off six days. It’s maintenance work, staying on top of things, it’s having a massage therapist in every city that I go to, it’s being aware that my body comes first.

"You’re not going to force your body into never getting sick but you can definitely help it and treat it like a business would. I am a business so I have to keep maintaining myself,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kerr also expressed satisfaction with his 2023 season, having made huge steps in his career after a few setbacks.

Having found it tough to build on the Olympic bronze medal he won in 2021, this time all of his energies were focused on one singular target.

“After the Olympics, I really struggled. I took a bit of time off and the motivation wasn’t there. I just had a tough time getting stuck back into winter training [for the 2022 season], but this time I was able to really flip a switch going into winter training and be like: ‘Right, this is where it starts’,” he said.

Tags: