Two-time former World Cross Country champion Geoffrey Kamworor has taken a lot of positives following his debut appearance for Team Kenya at the World Athletics Championships as a marathoner.

Kamworor says his fifth-place finish is a clear sign he is getting his fitness back.

Last week during the championship in Oregon, Kamworor said the race did not go as he wished after one of his shoes caused him an injury that slowed his pace to enable Ethiopians to dominate.

However, the three-time World Half Marathon champion opted to look at the positive side, saying it was a great improvement after coming from a two-year recovery break following a motorbike accident, he had some time back.

“I gave my best and the result is just the way it came out, I am happy to make my first appearance in the marathon and finish fifth. I am happy because, after Boston, I prepared for two months ahead of this race,” he said.

, a training partner of World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchope said.

He added, “My main target was the world championships. For the last two years, I have gone through a lot of challenges caused by injuries, this achievement in Oregon is a milestone and is a good sign that I am coming back.”

Team Kenya overall head coach John Mwithiga fondly known as ‘Warm up’ blamed Kamworor’s shoes for the podium miss.

“It was bad luck to Kamworor, he is a strong character but the shoes messed him. It tore one of his tors, so he could not run comfortably,” the coach said.

Kamworor now says with the championship happening again next year in Budapest, Hungary and Olympics due in 2024 in Paris, France the country will see more of him.

“There will be more of Kamworor representing Kenya at the biggest stage, I will gladly pick all the lessons and setbacks so that I can be better prepared when another opportunity comes,” he said.