NAIROBI, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Alphas Kishoyan, a member of the Kenyan national team who won a silver at the World Relay Championships, said he will continue to work hard despite having no hope to compete in 2020.
Kishoyan, who hopes to win Kenya a medal from the 400m race at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, believes it will be hard to string together four or five races whenever the situation allows and the ban on sports is lifted.
The Kenyan said he hopes to test his preparedness as early as February 2021 when he will compete in indoor competitions with target to compete at the 2021 Nanjing World Indoor championships.
"At the moment, what is important is to stay healthy and safe. However, I have continued to train and work hard to keep fit. I had high hopes for the season, but all that has been put aside. All the hard work I put in for the 2020 Olympic Games and other races has gone to waste. I have now cancelled all my plans," Kishoyan said on Wednesday.
Olympian Violah Lagat too aims to return to action with the World Indoor Championships in China being her target early in 2021.
Lagat, who is a younger sister to American Bernard Lagat, is training solo after Kenya government implemented a national curfew.
"Yes, I still receive training program from my coach, but I just can't work with him on a one on one basis. Staying at home, keeping the distance from one another is the message that many of us are adhering to and this is what we need to continue doing, so that authorities have a fighting chance to deal with the global pandemic."
But, she said, goals are still there.
"The morale and motivation is still there. Nothing has changed for me because I know this is going to pass and when the time is right, I will be ready to compete."
World Athletics and the Chinese Athletic Association agreed to postpone the 2020 event to March 2021.
The indoor season for athletics falls within a narrow calendar window (up to the end of March) and World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said he believes China will be able to find a suitable date in 2021 to host the event.
"We would like Nanjing to be the host given the extensive planning and preparation they have put into this event," said Coe.
However, for Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, he still runs and is hopeful all will end well and action resumes.
"I have been enjoying these wonderful runs in the early morning when the roads are empty. I miss my teammates but our main goal at the moment is to stay healthy," Kipchoge said.
