NAIROBI, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- World 5,000m champion Helen Obiri is not made up her mind if she will compete in both the World Indoor Championships and the Commonwealth Games.
The two events follow each other closely in March and April and the Olympic silver medalist says her main focus will be to recapture the 3,000m title at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham. The event will be held in Birmingham in Britain from March 1-4, 2018.
Obiri was on Thursday crowned Kenya's best female athlete after a successful season where she won both in London worlds and the IAAF diamond League trophy with only one defeat in seven races.
"I'm happy to have won this award. It means a lot to me since 2017 has been a great year for me. I'm grateful. My focus is to retain my IAAF 3000m indoor title next season. At the moment, I haven't really made up my mind about the Commonwealth Games," she said.
Obiri has had a challenging task to fill in the shoes of her mentor and compatriot Vivian Cheruiyot, ever since she moved up from track to marathon racing.
She has seized the opportunity and emerged from Cheruiyot's shadows to be crowned champion in London. Now she wants to recapture her indoor 3,000m title, which she last won in 2014 before she took leave to deliver her first child.
At the same time, the men's winner of the Kenya's Athlete of The Year Elijah Manangoi, who is also the world 1,500 meters champion, said he is eyeing top prize at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, set for April 5-17.
"I was bit disappointed with IAAF awards in Monaco last month. But I now feel appreciated and motivated with the award. I long for good things at the Commonwealth Games. I know most of my track rivals will line up, but I will give it my best," said Manangoi. Enditem
