NEW DELHI: Last year’s Delhi Half Marathon women’s champion Tsehay Gemechu is back in the national capital to retain her crown, on the back of her fourth-place finish at the recently-concluded Doha World Championships.The Ethiopian long-distance runner had made her debut last year in the IAAF gold label road race and had set the women’s course record of 66:50s. Now she is hungry for more — Delhi Half Marathon starts on Sunday — especially considering her brilliant run in Doha.
“Last year, I didn’t know much about running at this level. But now I’m more experienced after my exploits in the All-African Games as well as in the Worlds. I’m in good shape and I think another course record here is a possibility,” reflected Gemechu. The 20-year-old has come a long way in a year’s time, with performances of note in both track and road events. She won a highly competitive Valencia 10km race at the start of the year, before clinching the 10,000m gold in All African Games in August with a timing of 31:56.92s.
In Doha, she finished fourth with a personal best of 14:29.60s, well above the qualifying mark (15:10.00s) for the 2020 Olympics. Double world champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya clocked 14:26.72s (championship record) to clinch gold. She just missed out on a medal, something that has made her even more determined as Tokyo approaches.
“Hellen was the favourite. I stayed with the pack, which included silver medallist Margaret Kipkemboi of Kenya and second runner-up Konstanze Klosterhalfern of Germany, before the bell rang. I faltered in the last lap. It was a learning curve for me as it made me realise where I need to be. Not to forget, I’m only 20 and it was my first World Championships. So there is time on my side. At the moment, my aim is to improve on my personal best.”
Her coach Tessema Abshero, who has accompanied the athlete on her Delhi adventure, has made elaborate plans to ensure success come July. “Coach feels that I’m capable of winning gold. After I am done with this half marathon, my entire focus will shift on Olympics. I will prepare for the 5,000m exclusively.”
Keeping Tokyo’s searing heat and humidity in mind, the duo plan to train in similar conditions so that it helps in acclimatising as soon as possible. The venue is yet to be decided. “The weather is same for everybody but we will have to train accordingly so that it gives me the best possible chance at creating history,” she signed off.Elite field: Men: Andamlak Belihu (ETH), Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH), Eric Kiptanui (KEN). Women: Tsehay Gemechu (ETH), Caroline Kipkirui (KAZ), Zeineba Yimer (ETH).