Aprot targets podium finish in London World Championships

Alice Aprot leads teammate and pack.PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 4 – Having missed the podium at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the women’s 10,000m, Alice Aprot says she has learnt from her mistakes and will be looking to return stronger at the IAAF World Championships to be held in London from August 4-13.

Fresh from bagging silver in the senior women’s 10km race at the World Cross Country Championship in Kampala, Uganda, Aprot is confident of a podium finish when Kenya goes out to retain the title they won two years ago in Beijing, China thanks to Vivian Cheruiyot who shifted gears to marathon.

“I didn’t perform well in the Rio Olympics because I did not get my tactics right, but I have learnt from my mistakes. In London I will be looking to be among those in the podium,” the Africa 10,000m champion declared.

Aprot is still dazzled by her performance in Kampala a fortnight ago and the 23-year old revealed that the silver medal came at the right time and it will be a launching pad for her success in London.

“I am so happy to have my first ever World Cross Country medal. In 2010 I finished ninth in the junior race and since then I have never participated in the championships. It is a joy to be back having graduated to the seniors and getting a medal,” Aprot told Capital Sport.

Looking back at the race which saw the Kenyan women reclaim the team title from arch rivals Ethiopia, Aprot admitted she did not expect to come back home with a medal considering how tough the race was.

“The race was tough because the weather was not friendly. The heat was too much and I was not even expecting to make to the podium but I am glad I made it. I like running in front and it really helped us. Our plan worked very well because Ethiopians never run infront. They like hanging behind the pack and wait to kick in the final lap,” the Kenya Prisons Service officer noted.

Aprot, younger sister to 2010 World Cross Country Champion Joseph Ebuya will be battling for a place in the Kenyan World Championships team alongside Irene Cheptai who beat her to the title in Kampala and in the process winning her first ever individual global title.

Cheptai who beat a deep women’s field that included 3000m steeplechase world record holder Kenyan-born Ruth Jebet of Bahrain, 3000m steeplechase world champion Hyvin Kiyeng and 1500m Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, finished seventh in the 5000m at the last edition of the World Championships.

“Winning the World Cross Country title is a big motivation to me as I prepare to earn selection to the 10,000m Kenyan team that will compete at the World Championships. I believe I will make it though I know it will not be easy because we have good athletes in Kenya,” 25-year- old Cheptai said.

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