By John Kwoba
NAIROBI, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Three years ago, Flomena Cheyech arrived in London, eyeing her first medal at the Commonwealth Games in Edenborough, Scotland.
However, her cruise to success has not been as fast as she would have liked and as she prepares to return to Britain for the World Youth Championships in London, Cheyech is convinced this will turn around her career for the better.
"The hardest challenge is to make the Kenya team. Kenya has so many elite runners that running under two hours and 20 minutes is not news to many. To represent my country at the next month in the World Championships is the best present I have got. Running with my experienced teammates will really motivate me to do well," she said.
Ironically, Cheyech 35, has represented Kenya in three past occasions, all in Britain. She made her debut as a teenager in 1999 at the Belfast (Ireland) World Cross Country and returned to England ten years later for the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 2009 in Birmingham.
On both occasions she failed to win a medal. In 2014, she won gold on third attempt at the Commonwealth Games. Now she hopes to secure a bigger prize when she contested the marathon distance at the London World Championships.
Competing in London will offer Cheyech an opportunity to challenge for the title alongside experienced 2016 Tokyo Marathon winner Helah Kiprop and reigning Boston Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat.
"They will always guide me and it will be a team work effort. But finally it will be about your individual strength and I hope to be champion," she added. "We are sharpening our skills as we look forward to a good competition next month."
Kiplagat has twice won the World championships. The 37-year-old, who won the marathon at the 2011 and 2013 IAAF World Championships, will be competing at her fourth World Championships. In April, she won the Boston Marathon.
Helah Kiprop, who won the 2016 Tokyo marathon, is training in Kaptagat, near Eldoret town and is focused on winning Kenya the medal.
"I hope we will get a clean sweep," she said. "The withdrawal of Florence Kiplagat and Mary Keitany does not make our team any weaker. The other two runners we have are as serious and we hope to win in London."
