Nairobi, Nov 13 (IANS): Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot, London Olympic silver medallist in 5,000 metres, feels she is ready to test her fitness in local competition before moving on to the international circuit after a two-year maternity layoff.
With her focus on Rio Games in 2016, Cheruiyot is keen to use the Beijing World Championships Aug 22-30 next year as a springboard in her bid to finally end her quest for the yellow metal at the world's biggest sporting extravaganza, reports Xinhua.
"I am about 50 percent ready for the competition. It is still far, however, and I have no doubts I will be 100 percent fit when the time comes."
"Now the focus is to shake off the excess fat and regain my fitness. The World Championships and the World Cross Country Championships are ideal competitions for my progress," she said Wednesday in Eldoret.
Despite featuring in three Olympics - Sydney (2000), Beijing (2008) and London (2012) - Cheruiyot is yet to clinch the ultimate prize in any athlete's dreams, the gold medal.
In Sydney, a 17-year-old Cheruiyot was a distant 14th in the 5,000m race. Poor form and injuries, however, locked her out of Athens 2004 Games, but she returned in Beijing four years later and was a distant fifth in the 12-lap race.
But in London 2012, a decision to double up in both 5,000m and 10,000m might have drained her energies and she was a pale shadow of her powers as she returned second in 5,000m and third in 10,000 with Ethiopians Meseret Defer and Tirunesh Dibaba stealing the show respectively. But Cheruiyot believes she will get her revenge in Rio in 2016.
"I have achieved much in athletics, winning medals in almost all world competitions but I miss Olympics gold medals in my trophy cabinet. I am hoping that in the Rio Games, I will win one," she said.
Her coach and husband Moses Kiplagat said that her wife will weather the storm and she will excel in Brazil.
"She is turning out just fine. She has the pedigree to beat anyone on her good day and we are planning for just that in Rio. But we focus also on her reclaiming the gold at the World Championships in Beijing in both 5,000m and 10,000," he said.