'We need more time to rule the world'

By Norman Katende in Denmark

IAAF World Championships selected results

Men

1 Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 00:59:07
2 Samuel Tsegay (ERI) 00:59
3 Guye Adola (ETH) 00:59:20
11 Geoffrey Kusuro (UGA) 1:00:40 (PB)
26 Daniel Rotich (UGA) 1:01:51
29 Moses Kibet (UGA) 1:02:01
54 Isaac Ayeko (UGA) 1:03:55

Team

1 Eritrea 2:58:56
2 Kenya 2:59:35
3 Ethiopia 3:00:45
4 South Africa 3:03:36
5 Uganda 3:04:36

 Women

1 Gladys Cherono (KEN) 1:07:28
2 Mary Ngugi (KEN) 1:07:43
3 Selly Kaptich (KEN) 1:07:51
43 Linnet Chebet (UGA) 1:13:27

COPENHAGEN - Ugandan runners at the IAAF World Half marathon in Denmark have appealed to their fans to give them more time before they can "rule the world".

Team Uganda finished fifth behind Eritrea, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa on Saturday.

With that finish, which won them a collective sh12m, the Ugandan athletes still felt their performance was not good enough.

Geoffrey Kusuro finished in 11th, Daniel Rotich in 26th, closely followed by Moses Kibet in 29th place and Isaac Ayeko crossed the line in the 54th position.

So now they said they are looking to doing more training and picking up more experience to rise to the top.

On the brighter side of their world half marathon display, the four runners all set their personal best times, and that should have worked well to inspire their belief that they can do even better.

To beat the world stars, the quartet said they need more time to train and improve.

“We were all anticipating that a good result will be out during the World half marathon for the first time and to say the truth we need some more time for us to be able to perform better,” said Kibet.

Kibet, who is looking to shine at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, said that any opportunities that come after will be an important ingredient in the team’s quest to better their future performance.

 “All of us set personal bests, which is one thing that any athletes look at. We want to train harder and I promise that we will rule the world,” he said.

Kibet took the lead at the start, but before the 7km mark, he had failed to keep up with the pace and dropped further behind the leading pack.

Captain Geoffrey Kusuro, who was Uganda’s best finisher, was only 15 seconds short of breaking the national record.

He said patience and support of the team is needed.

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Uganda's Moses Kibet kept up with the leading pack for some time. PHOTO/Norman Katende

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The Kenyan team finished second overall, but had their own, Geoffrey Kamworor, finish top of the men's run. PHOTO/Norman Katende