‘Man of all surfaces’ Kamworor ready to glide on London roads
Geoffrey Kamworor (right) and other athletes train at Moi University School of Annex in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on April 04, 2023. He will be competing in this year’s London Marathon on April 23.
What you need to know:
- Among the top cream of athletes Kamwowor will battle on the streets of London are fellow countrymen Amos Kipruto, who is the defending champion, and Kelvin Kiptum, 23, who produced the fastest marathon debut in history when he claimed victory in Valencia in 2:01:53 in December.
Two-time New York City Marathon winner Geoffrey Kamworor declares he is in his best shape ever and promises fireworks in England
Kamworor, fondly referred to as the man of all surfaces, was hit by a motorcycle while training in Kaptagat on June 27, 2020, fracturing a tibia. He underwent surgery to mend the injury.
Things suddenly changed for Kamworor as his career in athletics turned upside down.
He was then gunning for his fourth consecutive World Athletics Half Marathon Championships title, but injured he failed to defend the crown on October 17, the same year in Gdynia, Poland.
Kamworor, who had the previous year recaptured the New York City Marathon title he had won in 2019, would embark on a frustrating long period of recovery. He eventually bounced back after 18 months to claim silver at the Istanbul Half Marathon on April 4, 2021.
Amidst a series of injuries Kamworor, the 2014 world 10,000m silver medallist, was still good enough to run the fastest time on Kenyan soil as he won the Kenyan Olympic Games trials 10,000m in 27 minutes and 01.06 seconds at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The man of all surfaces’ dream of returning for the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games went up in smoke with an ankle injury.
The fighter he is, he returned for the Valencia Marathon on December 5, 2021 where he finished fourth in a personal best time of two hours, five minutes and 23 seconds.
He opened the 2022 season with an 18th place finish in the Boston Marathon on April 18 as a recurring ankle injury put paid to his title ambitions.
Kamworor still earned a place in the Kenya marathon team for the World Athletics Championships held on July 17 in Oregon, United States where he battled to a credible fifth place.
“For sure the last two years have been frustrating for me since the accident, injury after another crept in,” said Kamworor, as h3 announced that he was back into his best shape and ready for his debut in the London Marathon on Sunday.
“I am now running and conducting my training without any discomfort. I feel like I am back to the shape I was in 2017 to 2019 before all these misfortunes happened,” said Kamworor, the 2015 and 2017 world cross country champion.
He went through his last speed work on Tuesday in Eldoret ahead of his departure to London yesterday.
Kamworor said that it’s a dream come true for him to finally compete in the London Marathon.
“I want to thank the organisers for giving me this opportunity. I can promise a beautiful race in the British capital,” said Kamworor. He predicted a tough race owing to the quality entries.
“It will depend on how you wake up but I am ready for any weather conditions,” said Kamworor.
He said he is ready for any pace and whatever tactics that will be thrown into the race by his opponents
Among the top cream of athletes Kamwowor will battle on the streets of London are fellow countrymen Amos Kipruto, who is the defending champion, and Kelvin Kiptum, 23, who produced the fastest marathon debut in history when he claimed victory in Valencia in 2:01:53 in December. This is, in fact, made him the third fastest man in history.
The Kenyans are up against home athlete Mo Farah and Ethiopian legendary distance runner Kenenisa Bekele among others.
