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| Kenyan sprinter Wiseman Were during a training session |
In 2015, the late Nicholas Bett surprised many when strike gold in Beijing to become the new world 400m hurdles champion.
Many were stunned by his feat considering that the category was not synonymous with Kenyans who are mostly dominant in middle and long-distance races.
Fast forward in 2024, former Africa bronze medallist Wiseman Were believes another season has come for the country to challenge the status quo of the race internationally.
And the person putting his life on the line for this lofty dream is none other than Were himself. Were is ready to fill the big shoes left by Bett upon the latter’s demise in 2018.
In this regard, Were has told his expanding fan base to expect upsets in Paris, where he will be the only Kenyan representing in the energy sapping sprint category.
“My body is in great shape, I’m now doing clearance training to maintain the fitness, all other departments have been dealt with accordingly,” Were told Standard Sports.
“At the Olympics, I’m going to challenge for the title. I have done my maths well and the calculations put in place should propel me to the podium,” the Commonwealth Games 4x400m relay bronze medallist explained.
At the Olympics, Were is eager to lower his Kip Keino Meet record (48.57) and he believes this is very possible by the push he will get from other world stars who will also be looking for the elusive gold in the race.
Were is also capitalising on his mistakes at the World Championships in Budapest last year which gave him great lessons despite exiting the contest in the semifinals.
From the drawback he learnt a lot, his eyes were opened and those lessons gave him hints on how to maneuver the coming Olympics; from the heats to the podium.
“In Budapest, I was not sharp, but the experience I left with have given me the energy and positivity to face my first Olympics with zest,” he said.
In order not to be bogged down by pressure to perform in Paris, Were is leaving no stone unturned at his pre-Olympic training base in Miramas, France. To him, the only way to stay out of trouble in the race is to prepare well.
In a typical week, he does long runs, speed work and endurance on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesdays are for recovery and massage. Light training is for Thursdays and Fridays while weekends are basically for rest.
In the last four years, Were has been upping his training under coach Denis Mwanzo who has been crucial in lowering his Personal Best from 52.00 to the current 48.57.
“My target is to do a sub-47, if I can do that then I’ll always be a medal prospect in any international event,” he said.
Apart from his physical preparations for Paris, Were is working on his mental strength as he is not eager to step on an Olympic track with a mind so full of doubts
“An athlete can be good, energetic, full of speed and life but the race is won in the mind, before they go on track. That’s why I’m guarding my mental focus,” he underlined.
The journey to make it to the Olympics has never been a walk in the park for Were who had to deal with lots of discouragement in his qualification process.
At some point, because of doubts, he reverted back to his initial 110m hurdles before opting again to continue with the 400m hurdles.
During the process, there are individuals who never believed in him, some doubted, some thought he was out of his mind and doomed while some saw great potential in his trial-and-error odyssey.
“This journey has ups and downs, at some point I never had money to book trainings and enter various championships. Also, in this industry, if you win you have lots of friends, if you lose then no one wants to greet you,” he highlighted.
Some of the championships Were has taken part in this season which have prepared him for the Paris Olympics include the African Games in Ghana, World Relay Championships in Bahamas, the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland and the Kip Keino Classic held at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya.
While suggesting that there is great need to improve sprints in the country, Were is challenging sprinters to work hard by cultivating team work, assertiveness, dedication and aggression in the discipline. He is also urging the government to create a conducive atmosphere that can develop sprints including setting up of infrastructures and financial support to the athletes
By Ochieng Oyugi