By Norman Katende
London 2012 marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich returns to the race track - ever since his golden feat at the Olympics last year - by taking part in the Granollers Half Marathon that is due in Catalonia, Spain on Sunday, according to his manager Jurrie Van De Velden.
“We have entered him in the race and we are still searching for better races for him. We want him to compete but we do not want him to wear out fast,” said Velden.
The athlete, who has been training at Kenya’s high altitude camp in Iten under coach Peter Sang, will be among elite athletes that will be announced for the half marathon in a press conference on the eve of the race.
Kiprotich, who won Uganda’s only medal at the just concluded Olympic Games in London last year, ending a 40-year wait for a gold medal at the Games. The star has been preparing for the last three months, breaking off in turns to officiate at functions. Among them, he was crowned the Sports Personality and best athlete-of-the-year 2012.
The 23-year old is targeting to compete in the Moscow World Championships in August and is expected to compete in a full marathon in April, before he returns to his training camp.
Velden also said that management group Global Sports Communications will fine-tune Jackson Kiprop, the winner of the Mumbai marathon. Kiprop was to make his marathon debut in Hamburg in April, but made it earlier when he won the Mumbai event where he entered as a pace setter.
“We will now sit down and devise another programme for him,” Velden explained.
The other runners that include Abraham Kiplimo, Kibet Soyekwa, Benjamin Kiplagat, Philip Kiplimo and Philip Kipyeko are all targeting the national cross country championships due next month in Jinja.
