Kimathi Kamau
NAIROBI, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Even lions, which are considered the 'Kings of the Jungle' sometimes succumb to the forces of nature in pursuit of their prey.
The carnivorous beast is the animal Kenya's middle distance track star, Elijah Motonei Manangoi, adopted as his nickname as he hunted down success in a sport that has catapulted his nation to global acclaim.
Rising through the ranks after an inauspicious start to his running career, Manangoi announced himself on the global stage in spectacular fashion at the Beijing 2015 IAAF World Championships in Shanghai, China.
With all attention fixed on countryman Asbel Kiprop (now serving a four-year doping ban) who was bidding for a third world 1500m title having won gold at Daegu 2011 and Moscow 2013, Manangoi was satisfied with playing a support role in the Kenyan team that also included Delhi 2010 Commonwealth winner, Silas Kiplagat.
While lanky Kiprop proved untouchable on the day, securing his hat-trick in 3:34.40, his fast-finishing team-mate Manangoi unleashed a dramatic late burst in the final 20 metres to sweep him from fifth to surprise silver in 3:34.63 while Abdaalti Iguider, of Morocco, courtesy of a desperate lunge for the line earned the bronze 0.04 behind.
"All I wanted at the time was to make the podium but on reflection, I could have gone for more because my form surprised me in that final," he recalled.
Two years later in London, with Kiprop suffering a dip in form, Manangoi went one better, securing the gold medal in a performance that echoed the predatory instincts of the lion, the totem figure of his fearless Maasai tribe of Kenya who are famed as warriors.
"It was such a good race and I'm so pleased to be a world champion. I had a difficult race as Timothy (Cheruiyot) raced very well, but I had that extra strength," he said at the time after leading another Kenyan 1-2 with Cheruiyot as favorite Kiprop faded to a distant ninth, his reign over.
While that signaled a change in guard, the Manangoi rise to the top was first delayed by injury at the Rio 2016 Olympics, the event he had initially targeted to fulfill his enormous potential.
All was going according to plan, with the Kenyan punching his ticket to the medal race in Brazil by first progressing through the heats and placing second in the semi-final where he ran to second in Heat 2 in 3:46.83 to qualify for the finals.
However, he tore his hamstring in that penultimate race and could not recover in time for the finals.
"Lord, I give you honor for your tremendous blessings, am not going to get the result as planned in the 1500m, but I will continue to trust in you. Sometimes things are just unexplainable. I have prepared well, I am in great shape, but failed at getting the job done, but I will keep the fight for great things are in store," Manangoi penned his frustrations on his Facebook page from Rio at the time.
Without the 'lion' teammate Cheruiyot and Kiprop could not deliver the gold as American Matt Centrowitz won a shock Olympic title.
The Beijing 2015 silver winner dusted himself and enjoyed his finest hour a year later at the London Olympic Stadium before adding the 2018 Commonwealth and African Championships titles to his medal cabinet.
However, at the start of the 2019 season with a world title defense in the horizon, the injury ghosts returned again for the star. After missing almost the entire IAAF Diamond League campaign recovering from a hamstring injury, he hurt his ankle in training a week ahead of the Kenya Trials for Doha 2019.
At the selection event on Sept. 13, Manangoi who had wildcard entry for the Worlds opted not to run and three days later, he once again turned to social media to express the pain of another shattered dream.
"Sad that I am not able to defend my 1500m title in Doha WC due to an ankle injury I picked in training I had no choice; we have to save the carrier for the sake of the Olympic Year. It's not my fault. But God knows the reason why. All my Fans in the World, to Continue to have faith in me," part of his heartfelt message read, telling of the devastation of missing out on another crack at glory.
Dressed in a smart casual light blue polo shirt, jeans and sunglasses as he watched his younger brother, George Manangoi, run to the Kenyan team; the London 2017 winner did not hide the agony of having a sporting career blighted by injury.
"An injury is bad. Very bad. You have no idea. It breaks your spirit because you know a small part of your body is stopping you from going for greatness," the upset star confessed.
"It will take between four and eight weeks to recover from the doctor's final results. It's sad I will not defend my title in Doha," he added on Monday when he broke the devastating news.
Despite the latest setback, Elijah, who also missed a chance of making history for Team Kenya by having two siblings run at the Worlds in the same event, has summoned the lion spirit in him to bounce back for Tokyo 2020.
"It's not yet over. I will do all I can to be fit for the Olympics and God will do the rest."
The bitter emotions contrasted to the cautious joy he experienced on Sept. 13 when his younger brother who holds the world Under 18 and Under 20 crowns as well as the African Games senior crown punch his ticket for Doha.
"I'm so impressed with my kid brother, George because he is really coming up, you know, from youth, junior and senior now. And we are not only two we are now four brothers so we have also younger brothers who are coming up, young and promising, so I am really happy about them," he added.
George, on the other hand, confessed his elder sibling had shed tears as he willed him on to make the Doha team before the start of the race.
"He is my biggest motivation. I saw him crying as he encouraged me to go and make the Kenya team. He started it in our family and we are proud of him," George said after finishing third behind Cheruiyot and Ronald Kwemoi to secure his place in the Qatar-bound squad.
Denied of a world champion, Kenya has turned to 2016 world Under-18 champion Kumari Taki who finished fourth to seal the men 1500m quartet with the London winner forced to watch the unfolding action from home.
"All the best to my teammates, World silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot and my younger brother World junior champion George Manangoi and Kwemoi bring it back home guys.
"And all competitors and event organizers make Doha a fun filled and successful event. Thanks for understanding and for all your support. See you next season. God Bless you all," his withdrawal statement ended.
Cheruiyot and George are his training partners at Nairobi-based Rongai Athletics Club ran by coach Ben Ouma.
