The 2022 World U20 1,500m champion Reynold Cheruiyot reckons that last year's World Championships experience will propel him to the finals at the Paris Olympics.
Cheruiyot placed eighth at 3:30.78 minutes at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Britain’s Josh Kerr (3:29.38) and the Norwegian duo of Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:29.65) and Narve Nordas (3:29.68) completed the podium.
"Last year, I took part in the World Championships in Budapest. The competition there was tough," Cheruiyot said.
"I wasn't used to the intensity of major Championships. Competing in different heats on consecutive days was tough, but making it to the finals in Budapest was a valuable experience," he added.
Cheruiyot is confident his Budapest experience will secure him a spot in the Paris finals. "I've trained hard and with the experience I've gained, I'm ready for the challenge," he said. "I aim to reach the finals, then strategise for an Olympic medal."
The 20-year-old arrived in Paris on Wednesday at 7:00 am, ahead of the men's 1,500m heats scheduled for Friday at 12:10 pm, 12:21 pm, and 12:32 pm Kenyan time.
"My flight was smooth and I'm grateful to have arrived in good health. It's sunny here and I hope the weather remains favourable throughout the competition," Cheruiyot shared.
Before leaving for Paris, he had been intensifying his preparations at Team Kenya's camp in Eldoret alongside 2023 African champion Brian Komen under coach James Mutisya. Training wasn't without challenges.
"We faced some weather issues. Sometimes, it rained, making training difficult and we had to forfeit some sessions," Cheruiyot added.
His training routine has focused on speed work and endurance. "I do long runs on Monday, speed work on Tuesday and Thursday and finally hill work on Saturday," he said.
Kenya hasn't won an Olympic title in the men's 1,500m for 16 years. The last champion was Asbel Kiprop in Beijing 2008, clocking 3:33.11 ahead of New Zealand's Nick Willis (3:34.16) and France's Mehdi Baala (3:34.21).
Before Kiprop, Kenya claimed titles through Kipchoge Keino (Mexico 1968), Peter Rono (Seoul 1988) and Noah Ngeny (Sydney 2000).
Cheruiyot isn't feeling the pressure to win a fifth title for Kenya. "I'm not under pressure. My focus is on perfecting my techniques. I'll think about the title once I line up in the finals," he said. Teamwork will be crucial for a podium sweep.
"We all must perform well in our heats to secure final spots. Once there, we'll strategize for a podium sweep," he added.
Cheruiyot's trophy cabinet includes the 2022 World U20 title (3:35.83) from Cali, Colombia, the 2023 Africa U20 title (3:33.65) from Ndola, Zambia and a silver medal from last year's World Cross Country Championships in the U20 category (24:30) from Bathurst, Australia.