Kimeli elated to have put Iraq Half Marathon woes behind him, optimistic about season ahead

Promising Kenyan athlete Nicholas Kimeli believes he would have secured a podium finish at the Iraq Half Marathon in early January if not for an unfortunate issue with his footwear.

Kimeli, who wore tight shoes during the race, finished in eleventh place, clocking 1:00:00. The ill-fitting shoes caused injuries to two of his toes, forcing him to take a two-week break from training.

However, he bounced back in style at the Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Gold Tour, held on Saturday 22 February at the Lobo Village in Eldoret.

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He secured a podium finish by placing third, crossing the finish line in 30:15. The race was won by Daniel Ebenyo Simiu, who clocked 29:57, while Gideon Rono finished second with a time of 30:07.

In an exclusive with Mozzart Sport, Kimeli expressed his disbelief, noting that he did not expect that impressive performance.

“I’m happy that I finally got the chance to compete in the Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country. It was my second race of the year after the Iraq Half Marathon, where I struggled due to poor shoes. I finished eleventh in 60:16, which wasn’t a good performance. That race cost me a lot because I had to take two weeks off from training after injuring my fingers,” he offered.

He went on to explain that during the Iraq Half Marathon, two of his toes started bleeding in the final kilometer, causing him to slow down. Despite that, he motivated himself to complete the race.

“My shoes were too tight, and they ended up injuring my toes. In the final kilometer, blood was oozing from my toes, so I decided to just run at my own pace. That’s why standing on the podium at Sirikwa was such a surprise. I was not expecting it. This was purely God’s doing because I hadn’t trained for two weeks. I’m relieved to see that my shape is still intact,” he averred.

Looking ahead, Kimeli remains optimistic about the season and has set his sights on key competitions like the Diamond Leagues and the Tokyo World Championships slated for September.

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“I hope this year will be a good one. My focus is on doing my best at the Tokyo Championships, and this cross-country race was part of my preparation. I’ll also be competing in the Diamond League starting in April,” he said.

Kimeli has experienced both highs and lows in his career. His Olympic debut in Tokyo nearly had a fairytale ending, but he was edged out in the final seconds of the men’s 5000m race.

He finished fourth with a time of 12:59.17, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal, which was claimed by American Paul Chelimo in 12:59.05.

In the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, Kimeli had impressed at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, where he secured his ticket to the Games with a 10,000m time of 26:50.94.

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However, in Paris, he struggled and finished 14th in 27:23.97.

His World Championships campaign in Budapest also fell short of expectations. He attempted a 5,000m-10,000m double but finished eighth in the 10,000m and was eliminated in the heats of the 5,000m, finishing 14th.

With a new season ahead, Kimeli is eager to put past disappointments behind him and focus on making a strong comeback.

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“I will not let Kenyans down. I’m working hard to get ready and praying to God that I stay injury-free in my buildup,” he concluded.