NAIROBI, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- World and Africa 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri has ruled out competing in the indoor season and will instead focus her training on gaining endurance ahead of the outdoor competitions.
"I want to win gold in Doha and I must train hard for it. I have started in cross country and the rest will come. But it's true, the indoor circuit is not part of my plans," Obiri said Friday in Nairobi.
Obiri, who finished fourth at this year's IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, said she will use the cross country circuit to build her endurance ahead of the Diamond League, which starts in May.
Obiri had a good season in 2018 despite missing out on the indoor medals. She won the Africa Championships in 5,000m in Asaba, Nigeria and went on to dominate at the IAAF Continental Cup in Ostrava, the Czech Republic.
She also retained her Diamond League trophy in the 5,000m category. However, she said defending her world title in Doha, Qatar in 2019 will be her priority.
Obiri's agent Ricky Simms said there are no plans to have her compete in the IAAF indoor circuit that starts next week. "I know Obiri will not compete indoors," said Simms.
Prize bonuses of 2.04 million Kenyan shillings (20,000 U.S. dollars) and wildcard entries will be on offer to the winners of the 2019 IAAF world indoor tour, which begins in late January.
The wildcard will see athletes gain direct entry to the World Indoor Championships, which will be held in Nanjing, China in 2020.
The indoor tour will kick off in Boston on January 26, with stops in Karlsruhe, Germany on February 2, Torun, Poland on February 6, Madrid, Spain on Feb. 8, Birmingham, Britian on Feb. 16, before the finals in Dusseldorf, Germany on Feb. 20.
"I will run the Diamond League and not the indoor circuit tour," said Obiri.
