Former World Javelin champion, Julius Yego knows he will have to do something special to be able to throw 85m and qualify for the World Athletics Championships planned for July 15 to 24 in Oregon, United States.

Though the newly crowned Africa Senior Athletics Champion feels he might need favours by virtue of being the continental winner.

“I want to qualify the right way,” said Yego upon jetting back to the country from Mauritius yesterday.

“Though by virtue of being the African champion, I think I should be considered to be part of the team to the World Championships,” said the former commonwealth winner.

On Sunday a second throw of 79.69m, which is currently his season best, was all he needed to retain the title he won in Asaba, Nigeria in 2018.

That was Yego’s fourth victory at the continental event. The 33-year-old Yego, wishes he’d reach the kind of shape he was in 2015 when he hauled 91m plus throw.

Reigning champion

“I can’t compare the Yego of 2015 and this one of 2022, then I was doing 91m effortlessly, now I have not even managed 80m,” weighed in Yego who is also the reigning African Games champion, has previous wins in 2012 Porto Novo, Benin, 2014 Marrakech, Morocco and 2018 Asaba, Nigeria.

In Mauritius he edged out 2010 Africa champion Ihab Al Sayed Abdelrahman from Egypt to second place with 77.12m as South Africa’s Phillippus Marthinus got bronze with 74.10m.

Another Kenyan Alexander Kiprotich threw 70.36 to settle fifth. “I feel I am in good shape and hope to do something special during the national trials,” offered Yego who had lost to Abdelrahman, finishing second at the Kip Kieno Classic on May 7 in Nairobi.