Yego out to beat Personal Best in Doha

3 min read
Yego out to beat Personal Best in Doha. Photo/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 11 – After regaining his top form, Olympic silver medallist Julius Yego is now aiming higher, this time beating his Personal Best at the upcoming IAAF World Championships set to run from September 27 to October 6 in Doha, Qatar.

Yego, who is fresh from throwing 87.73m (Game Record) to win the Africa Games gold in Morocco, is back in training and said since he already has a wild card, he will use the Athletics Kenya World Championships Trials set for Thursday and Friday at Nyayo stadium to further practice.

Julius Yego stands next to the plaque declaring him the world leader after his monster 92.72m throw won him the men Javelin title in Beijing on August 26, 2015. PHOTO/IAAF/Getty Images

Commonly referred as the You Tube man, Yego, 30, has a Personal Best of 92.72m set in 2015 at the World Championships in Beijing where he stormed to gold.

“We did well in Morocco at the Africa Games. I am happy that I covered a huge distance, it  has been a while since I threw that far, last year, I didn’t manage now this means my form is back, I am so great for that,” Yego said after completing training in Nairobi.

“My target is to throw a big distance than 92.72m in Doha. My focus is in Doha and not at the Trials because I have already qualified, so most important thing now is to remain healthy and fit,” the 2014 Commonwealth Games champion underscored.

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Alexander Kiprotich during a past international event. Photo/COURTESY

With the qualification mark for the World Championships being 83m, now the task is on 2013 African Junior Champion Alexander Kiprotich, who bagged silver at the Africa Games in Rabat, after covering a distance of 77.50m

“My friend Alex also did well, I was happy after he got silver and achieved that distance, I was happier for him than the gold I won. It’s now for us to fight and be the winner in Doha, everyone is a strong competitor because this is a championship and not a Diamond League event,” Yego stated.

Alexander Kiprotich finished seventh at the 2014 African Championships, fourth at the 2015 African Games, won the bronze medal at the 2016 African Championships, finished fifth at the 2018 African Championships and eleventh at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Photo/COURTESY

He added; “the qualification for World Championships is to high being 83m so that means those who will be in Doha are worthy contenders and who ever makes it to the final is capable of winning.

Last season was a slow one for Yego despite covering 80.91m at the National Championships in Nyayo National Stadium, as he went on to finish fourth at the Continental Cup in Ostrava, throwing 78.41.