Kenyan Kimeli will attack the winning hat-trick in Prague
He is one of the main stars of the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon. Kenyan Benard Kimeli will be aiming for his third championship on Saturday. And he has no problem with the cold conditions in the Czech Republic. “The weather is good so far, but we’ll see what on Saturday. A lot is changing now and that will matter. But no matter how I run them, we will try our best, “they added, whose personal record is time for the 59:07 half marathon. The runner from the RunCzech Racing team triumphed here in 2018 and 2019, and he is also doing well on the foreign scene.
Kimeli has been running for ten years. “I started when I went to school and back five kilometers each day. Thanks to that, I started running more, “comments the 26-year-old professional from the Kenyan city of Marakwet. A few years later, he stood at the starting line for the first time and ran his first race as a racer. “It simply came to our notice then. I ran ten kilometers and it was raining, so it wasn’t perfect, but I tried my best. “
On Saturday, the same possible conditions await him at the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon. “I’m not used to cold temperatures, but it’s better than if it’s very hot. It’s just raining, “added Kimeli, who always prays before the start. Of course, it does not omit proper stretching and heating. And then he has to start. “It’s the hardest disqualification for me,” Kimeli added.
Kimeli’s favorite runs include ten-kilometer races and half marathons. He reaped success last month at the half marathon in Paris, where he finished in third place. “I am just happy with the result. I succeeded in the race, the weather was absolutely ideal and I was in a good position, “he confirms. In the past, in addition to the Czech Republic, he participated in races in other European countries, Japan and Kenya.
However, the global pandemic has complicated training and competitions. “The pandemic has hit us hard. We had to train alone. Normally we are used to training in a team, but this way it was very difficult for us individually, “says Kimeli. The race has been canceled due to a travel ban, and only now is everything restored to normal.