Amsterdam Marathon champion Angela Tanui believes teamwork will help Team Kenya sweep the podium at the World Athletics Championships mid this month in Eugene, Oregon, United States.
The Iten-based runner, who will be making her debut for Team Kenya at the championships, said it was a privilege to be selected by Athletics Kenya among top brass marathoners for the Oregon championships.
"I want to repay their (AK's) faith by winning a medal at the championships. The team is made up of very strong athletes but only teamwork will help us sweep the podium," said Tanui. "This is my dream."
Tanui, who has a personal best time of 2:17:57 set while winning the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon (course record), observed that her compatriots, Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir, Paris Marathon champion Judith Kiptum and world champion Ruth Chepngetich could turn out to be her biggest challengers.
“I have had a good run in recent years but my teammates have run better times. They will provide healthy competition. However, I will fight to make sure that I get the best out of my maiden chance in Team Kenya,” she added.
But even though they will be in a competition, she expects the Kenyan quartet to work for the country first before jostling for individual titles.
“I will be very happy to race with Jepchirchir, Chepngetich, and Jeptum. We shall employ some tactics to secure a podium sweep. We shall run as a team because one cannot run alone. We have to cooperate,” she added.
She also feels that perennial rivals Ethiopia, as well as Uganda, cannot be underrated.
Tanui added she is happy that the world championships come at a time when she is high on confidence following a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year.