Kenyan-based refugee Anjelina Nadai is hoping to make her invite to he World Cross Country Championships count even as she prepares for the the World Championships in Budapest later in the year.
Nadai, alongside Josephine Tain, left the country on Wednesday for Australia, where they will link up with four others from the United Kingdom and France to complete at team of six.
Nadai (29) and Tain (24) were invited for the global showpiece by the World Athletics and the former feels she has an opportunity to shine even though this will be her first major cross country outing.
However, she is not new to tough competition having competed at the Olympics twice (Rio 2016 in and Tokyo 2020) as well as the World Championships (London 2012 and Oregon 2022).
On February 5, Anjelina became the first runner from both the World Athletics Athletes Refugee Team or IOC Refugee Team to win an International Competition at the European Champion Clubs Cross Country at the picturesque Oropesa del Mar, a historic town in Castellón, Spain.
Anjelina said: “Being coached by Kenya’s legend has given me the motivation to prove myself to the world and I feel ready especially after winning ten days ago. I competed in Rio 2016; I’ve been to the last two World Championships in Oregon and London and recently I was in Tokyo 2020. I have a target in Bathurst, to launch my bid for the 1500m and 5000m races at Paris 2024. I want to prove to the world-anything is possible.”
The 2007 800m world champion Janeth Jepkosgei is the coach while former Commonwealth 800m champion Japheth Kimutai is the team manager.
Jepkosgei said: “This is my second year in a row with refugee athletes and I can say, I am home. As a coach, I’ve prepared them well physically and mentally. It won’t feel any different watching Team Kenya perform well but currently; this is my home. I love the thrill of something new, so I’ll just say 'watch this space'.”