Bett dreams of glory in Commonwealth Games
What you need to know:
- Kenyan bronze medallist dreams of glory in Commonwealth Games.
- Buoyant Bett talks about his future plans after bagging bronze medal in tough 800m men’s race on Tuesday.
IN LONDON
Kipyegon Bett, the rank outsider in the 800 metres final on Tuesday night, says his bronze medal is “a sign of good things to come.”
Before the race, the Kericho-based Bett exuded confidence, saying he feared no one despite these being his first world championships.
He was happy with his pre-championships training and was eyeing a podium place. That’s all.
And true to his words, he was able to deliver a medal for Kenya in a competitive race that saw big names floored, including former champions Nigel Amos of Botswana and Ethiopia’s Mohammed Aman.
Being his first year in the senior category, Bett said that he did his best as he tried it to gauge his performance against elite runners.
He says the race gave him a lot of experience and he now knows there are better things ahead as he prepares to run his last Diamond League race in Brussels.
“I gave it my best and I’m happy with the bronze medal. It gave me a lot of confidence especially after running with some of the most experienced athletes in the world. I’m very much proud of myself,” he said.
Bett also said that his training was good and he knew he would meet Amos and Aman, who have ruled the two-lap race over the years along with Kenya’s Olympic champion and world record holder David Rudisha.
“I knew Amos Nijel and Mohammed Aman were tough athletes but having trained well, you saw what happened. I was able to beat them and they should now be ready to retire,” said the bubbly athlete.
Before the trials, Bett trained in Kiptere, Kericho County, and thanks 2016 Diamond League series winner and his training mate in Kericho Ferguson Rotich for his support.
“Ferguson (Rotich) is a good athlete and I must thank him because we could help other in training before we went for the trials in Nairobi and the result is a bronze for Kenya,” added Bett, who is coached by Japheth Kemei.
Bett was born in Boito village, Sigowet Constituency in Kericho County, and went to Kalyongwet Primary School before joining Kiptere High School where he graduated in 2015.
When in Form Three, he managed to bag a gold medal in the East Africa School Games in Dar es Salaam in the 800m in 2014.
During the Africa Youth Championships in Mauritius, Bett won gold before getting silver in the World Youth Games in Cali, Colombia in 2015.
He went on to win silver in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa before winning another gold medal in the World Junior Under-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, last year. He is now eyeing a place in Kenya’s team for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
