Sri Lanka’s 2011 Asian Championships medallist Chaminda Wijekoon will be seen in action on day four of the IAAF World Championships here on Tuesday. Since arriving here last week, the Lankan middle distance runner has been busy at training and will be looking forward to better his personal best.
I am focused on my race. I know the competition level here in Daegu is very high. Obviously at any world championships, you get the cream of runners who get better training and competition opportunities. But I am equally focused on to my task, though I don’t have too many big expectations,” Wijekoon said in an exclusive interview with the |Observer Online today.
There will be a total of 39 competitors who will run in three first round heats of the men’s 1,500m first round heats. Wijekoon, who has done his pet event in three minutes and 40.78 seconds as the personal best, aims to improve on his timing. “My prime target is to achieve my personal best here. If I achieve that, I could advance further,” Wijekoon said on the eve of his decisive race.
Kenya, whoch has never won men’s 1,500m gold at a World Championship is gearing to break that hoodoo in Daegu with their Commonwealth champion Silas Kiplagat recording the two fastest timing in the world this year. The 22-year-old recorded a world leading 3:30.47 to triumph in Monaco and a 3:31.39 clocking at altitude to win the Kenyan title is, arguably, even more impressive. His compatriot, the Olympic and African champion Asbel Kiprop (3:31.76) should turn out to be a strong contender in the men’s 1,500m. The other middle distance runners who could make their presence felt are two-time World indoor silver medalist Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (3:32.47), Olympic silver medalist Nick Willis of New Zealand (3:31.79) and two-time World Indoor 1500m champion Deresse Mekonnen (3:32.90) of Ethiopia