Former European women’s 1500m champion Angelika Cichocka is ready to take double Olympic winner Faith Kipyegon head-on in the fourth edition of the Absa Kip Keino Classic at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on Saturday.
Cichocka feels she is now fit for the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event, where she will be featuring for the first time after successfully battling a protracted injury that has put her out of serious competitions for years.
The Polish-based in Kaptagat in the Rift Valley, where she has been training since 2018, was unable to try her luck in the other previous editions of the Continental Tour Gold event due to the nagging complications.
“I have never run in a high altitude zone like Nairobi. I know it will be quite a challenge to tackle the Kip Keino Classic but nonetheless, it will be a good experience for me. Actually, I’m quite excited about the race,” she stated.
Kip Keino Classic will be Cichoka’s second major competition this season after the Doha Diamond League in Qatar on Friday, where she competed alongside Kipyegon who won the race with a world-leading time. Both athletes jetted back into the country on Sunday morning to acclimatise for the Kip Keino Classic.
“I think training in Kaptagat has prepared me well to face Kipyegon. I ran with her in Doha and she is an amazing person. I look forward to challenging her on Saturday at Kasarani,” Cichoka underlined.
Ahead of Kip Keino Classic, Cichoka will take a two-day rest in Kaptagat to shake off the jet lag before embarking on some easy runs to loosen her muscles.
Nicknamed ‘Chepkoech’ by the Kapagat residents, Cichoka readily confesses her love for Kenya which she says is the perfect place for any world-beating athlete to start off their season.
“The country has good weather and the altitude for athletics build-up is amazing. It has everything that one needs to be a champion. This is the country that has shaped my athletics career,” she highlighted.