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Sprinter Sylvia Chelang’at is unbothered despite being the only female athlete in the women’s 400m race when Kenya stages the World Athletics Under-20 Championships next month.

The 17-year-old is among the 44 member national team that is set to commence residential training camp today ahead of the global show set for August 17 to 22 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

Drawing her inspiration from former 800m world champion and Olympics silver medallist Janeth Jepkosgei, the junior athlete is confident of good results on home soil, to trigger her career as she hopes to be the best in the world when she joins the senior ranks in future.

“Janeth is like a mother to me and I really admire her for what she has achieved in her life. She has been encouraging me, pushing me to be the best that I can be throughout my career.

Alongside my parents, my teachers and my coach, they have been very helpful and have allowed me to juggle between academics and athletics,” Chelangat spoke of the 2002 world youth champion nicknamed Eldoret Express.

Chelangat hopes to transition to 800m in a year’s time and is looking up to Jepkosgei as her source of inspiration.

“I have been doing a few 800m races here and there, though I want to eventually shift to  800m just like Janeth.

She also began by competing in the 400m and was not successful at that level compared to my current situation.

So I am confident I can replicate her success in the 800m,” disclosed the junior who trains from Jepkosgei’s Kapchemoiywo training camp in Nandi County.

The Form Four student at Lelu Secondary School in Kericho County is hoping AK and the local Organising Committee for the world under 20 Championships will consider school going students when the camp begins.