Team Uganda review tactics for World Championships

By James Bakama

World Championships (August 8-10)

ONE of the key reasons Stephen Kiprotich struck gold at the London Olympics was because he made maximum use of high altitude training.

Kiprotich only left the Kenya highlands for London four days to the marathon, meaning that he had lots of stamina from his high altitude drills.

His endurance was evident as he broke away from the front pack to win Uganda her first Olympic gold medal in 40 years. 

UAF will be employing a similar strategy for the Moscow World Athletics Championships that start in 11 days’ time.

Uganda’s marathon trio of Jackson Kiprop, Abraham Kiplimo and Kiprotich will leave for Moscow on August 13, five days to the mens’ marathon. The rest of Uganda’s team depart on August 6.

“We want to make sure that the marathon trio gets maximum benefi t from high altitude training,” explained team coach Benjamin Longiros yesterday.

Athletes who train in high terrain and compete at lower altitudes have a higher concentration of red blood cells, and this gives them a competitive advantage because they use less oxygen in the course of running.

Kiprotich, Kiplimo and Kiprop have for the past month been training in Eldoret, Western Kenya in the same camp where Uganda’s lone medalist at the London games finetuned last year.

Longiros, who is based in Kween district with part of the team, is happy with the athletes’ progress. 

“Training is good. Everyone has picked up. I am in touch with even those in Kenya, and I must say, there is a lot of progress.”

Uganda will be represented by 12 athletes at the biennial meet.