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Emmanuel Masinde and Agencies

After two seasons of injury frustrations, 2014 Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion Mercy Cherono is now in better shape and ready for her long-awaited return to competition.

The 29-year-old, who finished fourth at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in the 5,000m event behind her compatriots – gold medallist Vivian Cheruiyot, Hellen Obiri and Ethiopian Almaz Ayana – has been entered to compete in the women’s 1,500m event at next week’s World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series in Nairobi.

“After the Rio Olympics, I had a frightening foot fracture that made me miss out on the 2017 and 2018 seasons. I had to layback from competitions and I decided to start a family and in the process, I had a baby girl,” Cherono told Xinhua on Wednesday.

With sports disrupted, travel restricted and meets and competitions delayed or canceled due to Covid-19 pandemic, Cherono decided to channel the frustrations of the forced shutdowns into more training and preparations for her comeback.

“I started training last year and I had hoped to compete fully this season but the virus shutdown happened.

I used the virus frustration to train more and get into better shape. I can say I am 80 percent in-term of fitness and ready to compete during the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series in Nairobi on Oct. 3,” said Cherono.

Meanwhile, world 10,000m bronze medallist Rhonex Kipruto is eyeing a podium finish during the forth coming Continental Tour dubbed Kipchige Keino Classic at Nyayo stadium on October 3.

Kipruto, who trains in Iten, said that he is mentally and physically fit to meet his rivals at the historical event.

“At the moment, I’m mentally prepared and physically fit for the challenge and ready to compete against the best” he told People Sport yesterday.

The 5000m men race title has been elusive to Kenyan athletes with rivals Ethiopians dominating the race over the years and pundits still believe it would require exceptional effort and preparation by the local athletes, to wrestle the dominance away from the neighbours.

A section of former and current athletes, however, believe that Kipruto would one day break the jinx, since he has been performing well since joined the senior ranks.

“I will follow what my coaches have taught me to do during competitions. In short I will run my own race and wait for results at the end of it,” said the reigning 10km Tuskys Wareng champion.

He added: “I’m pray hard that everything goes on as planned and that I pick my desired results at the event.”