NAIROBI, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- World 1,500m champion Elijah Manangoi dominated the event at the national championships in Nairobi after healing from a hamstring injury.
The 26-year-old now targets to double up in the 1,500m and the 5,000m at the World Championships, which will be held in Doha, Qatar from September 28 to October 6.
"I have been suffering the hamstring injury, which has denied me the chance to compete as free as I may have wanted. However, today am just happy to run here in Nairobi and test myself. For the first time I have run without any pain in so many months," said Manangoi here on Wednesday.
However, the Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion ruled out going for a fast time at the worlds, saying he is concerned with defending his title.
"I will not be seeking fast time in the Diamond League or the World Championships because coming from injury, the important thing is to remain consistent and win in major competition," he noted.
Manangoi said the hamstring injury, which he picked up on May 3 during the Doha Diamond League meeting and aggravated at the Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden in June, is now a gone case.
He has given himself two more weeks of intense training ahead of the Kenyan trials for the World Championships.
"All should be well in the next two weeks. I want to return to competition when I am certain of my fitness," he added. "My focus is on the trials and my world title defense in Doha in October."
