By John Kwoba
NAIROBI, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Two-time World Military Games champion Pauline Korikwiang of Kenya believes she has finally shaken off her poor form and is eyeing a return to the international scene at the World Cross Country Championships in Denmark.
The 30-year-old is the 2006 World Cross Country junior champion and recently set a new personal best time in a 21km race when she finished fourth at the Valencia Half Marathon with a time of 01:06:31 on Oct. 28.
"I'm grateful to God for this victory; it has never been easy for me since 2011. I have been battling a hip joint [injury] for a long time which has kept me out of the limelight for a while, but I'm glad I'm back now," Korikwiang said on Friday in Nairobi.
Korikwiang, who is also the Bucharest Half Marathon champion, has raced sparingly this season. She will join John Mwangangi in the first leg of the Athletics Kenya (AK) Cross Country Series in Machakos on Saturday.
This year's series will only be made up of four events with the second event being staged in Nyandarua on Dec. 1.
Two more legs will be held in Eldoret and Kericho before the team is selected to compete at the World Cross Country Championships in Denmark in March.
"I want to see if I will be able to make the Kenyan team. I had high hopes of going to the Africa Championships in Nigeria in June, but I was not strong enough and lost in the trials. Now I believe, I have regained more strength and hope my comeback will be complete," said Korikwiang.
Poor form, strong challenges from rivals and a long term injury layoff might have taken the wind out of Korikwiang's sails, but she is dead-set on making Kenyan team that is heading to the World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
"I will also feature in the track competition, especially the Diamond League. I want to be at the top form, when I go to Qatar for the World Championships," she said. Enditem
