News12 Jul 2009


Despite World Youth gold Koech has other plans for the future

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Isiah Kiplangat Koech and David Kiprotich Bett both of Kenya celebrate winning gold and silver in the Boys' 3000m final (© Getty Images)

Education is very important to Isiah Kiplangat Koech and despite his brilliant win in the 3000m final on Sunday’s final session of the World Youth Championships, he is not ready to follow his great compatriots into the professional ranks just yet.

The 15-year-old fourth form student could be one for the future after running a Championship Record 7:51.51 seconds, kicking past his team-mate David Kiprotich Bett who won the silver in a personal best 7:55.5 seconds after leading the race after about 1200m.

A relative late comer to track and field, he said he was inspired to get into serious training after seeing a colleague win a gold medal at the World Juniors in Poland last year and asked himself “why not me?”

Minute before he went to the starting line, another of his team-mates Cherono Koech won the women’s 800m final also in Championships record time 2:01.67 seconds and this he said inspired him even further.

He will still be a youngster in 2012 at the next Olympic Games but he could be one of the more decorated runners before he leaves the juniors ranks as he could win two more global titles, next year’s World Juniors in Moncton, Canada and the next World Youth in Lille, France two years time.


Paul Reid for the IAAF

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