Mateiko gears up for London job
Daniel Mateiko.
What you need to know:
- Her career took shape when she joined Kapsait High School which was run by his coach Eric Kimaiyo and she decided to join the training group and she is glad that she has been able to improve tremendously.
- “It’s a privilege to be named as one of the pacemakers in a race like London because there are so many athletes who could have been selected. I don’t take it for granted,” she said.
Pacemakers are crucial in any given race they have been tasked to compete in and the London Marathon has always recorded fast times, thanks to the athletes who are tasked to lead the race with certain conditions.
They have always been given a certain pace in the first half of the race before they drop, leaving competitors to battle it out on their own in the second half part of the marathon race.
Nation Sport caught up with two athletes who will be pacing the first group of athletes and they shared their joy as this will be their first experience in one of the most prestigious races.
Daniel Mateiko is one of the pacemakers who will be leading the rich elite field and he is confident that he will deliver his task of pushing the pace up to the 30km mark while Catherine Relin will be leading the women's group.
Mateiko, who is based at the Global Sports Communication training camp in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County said that his training went on well and he has some work to do.
Among those he will be pacing is his training mate Geoffrey Kamworor who is also looking forward to good results on Sunday.
“My training has been good and I’m glad we finished the programme well and I still have some work to do during the race. I will be comfortable with any pace I will be given by the race director when we get there and I’m happy that I was given this task to do,” said Mateiko.
Mateiko, who hails from Mt Elgon in Bungoma County, said that pacing is part of his preparation towards the marathon career where he hopes to transit in the near future.
His joy is to pace some of the greatest athletes in the lineup who includes the Ethiopian athletics legend Kenenisa Bekele and others, something he said will improve his performance.
“Since January I have been training with Kamworor and the world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge who will be competing in the Boston Marathon and the programme was the same. The two great athletes are great inspiration and in the future I want to be like them.
“Kipchoge has been giving me a lot of advice on how to be disciplined and longevity in athletics and so far I can say I’m on the right track and with the right group of athletes,” he added.
Reline on her part said that competing in Corrida International de São Silvestre 15km race in Brazil where she bagged victory gave her more mileage to be selected to pace the London Marathon race.
The soft-spoken athlete trains in Kapsait Athletics Training Camp in Elgeyo Marakwet County and she will be pacing the first group including her training mates, the world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei and the world marathon silver medalist Judith Korir.
This is her first time to pace in such a big race and she is confident that she will be able to finish her part which is 21km before she drops.
“This is my first time and we have prepared well since January and basically I want to accomplish my mission on Sunday well. Having trained for the last three months, I’m in good shape to pace some of the finest athletes lined up for the London Marathon race,” she said.
Her career took shape when she joined Kapsait High School which was run by his coach Eric Kimaiyo and she decided to join the training group and she is glad that she has been able to improve tremendously.
“It’s a privilege to be named as one of the pacemakers in a race like London because there are so many athletes who could have been selected. I don’t take it for granted,” she said.
