Kenya's Bett seeks Commonwealth Games redemption after injury scare

Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-15 03:10:08|Editor: yan
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NAIROBI, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Former world 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett of Kenya is hopeful he will redeem his career starting with victory at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast from April 4-15.

It will be the second time Bett will be competing in the Club Games after failing to make the finals at the 2014 edition in Glasgow.

He emerged from obscurity to stake claim to the gold at the Beijing Worlds in 2015, but his star dimmed thereafter compounded with poor form and injury.

He missed the Beijing Olympics after being disqualified in the preliminary rounds and his comeback last year ended prematurely as he pulled out of Shanghai Diamond League meeting with a right leg injury.

"It is over now. I started treatment after returning from Shanghai in May and now I feel am back to my best form," he said on Wednesday in Nairobi.

The 28-year-old started his training in November last year with endurance tests and moved to South Africa, where he camped for two months. But he is back in Nairobi ahead of the Kenya trials for the Commonwealth games on Saturday.

"I have put behind the disappointment from Rio Olympics and the withdrawal from the 2017 World Championships. I have regained my fitness and now the target it to get the ticket for Commonwealth Games," said Bett.

The former Africa 400m bronze medalist has a personal best time of 47.79 from Beijing but will have to face a stiff challenge from compatriots his brother Haron Koech, a semi-finalist at the London Worlds and Rio Olympics 400m hurdles silver medalist Boniface Mucheru. Others are Aron Koech, Emmanuel Lagat, David Saruni and Cosmas Meli.

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