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‘Youtube Man’ Yego excited ahead of his fourth unprecedented Olympics in Paris, intensifies training

‘Youtube Man’ Yego excited ahead of his fourth unprecedented Olympics in Paris, intensifies training
Kenya’s Julius Yego trains in Miramas, France ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics. PHOTO/ NOCK

Going for his fourth unprecedented Olympics in Paris, Kenya’s javelin star Julius Yego says a podium finish will be a plus to his glittering career.

Yego, 35, has represented Kenya in all major competitions, winning silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics, a world title in 2015, Commonwealth Games gold in 2014, becoming a two-time Africa Games champion and a record five-time Africa champion.

Yego, who is already in Miramas, France, where Team Kenya has pitched camp for the Pre-Olympics preparations, acknowledged the significance of having a boot camp before the games, which officially start July 26 in the French capital.

“With my age now if I get an Olympic medal, I will be so happy. My ultimate goal is to win gold that would see me accomplish my achievements in my career. I have achieved whatever I wanted as a javelin thrower.

I want a continuation of it, I don’t want to stop it, I feel I can still do it,” Yego said after the morning session in Miramas.

“For now, I am working on my throws and speed just to get it right and the distance will automatically come. My target is the qualification to the final, therefore, I am focusing on throwing 82m and get the automatic qualification,” the Kapsabet Boys alumni stated.

“I love Miramas, it has all the javelin facilities and that is the most important thing for me. The weather is also good which is similar to what we will encounter during the games,” Yego outlined.

Yego, fondly known as the “YouTube man” do not have the luxury of having a coach neither a training partner, but said there is nothing to worry about since he is used to it.

“I am used to training alone, but it is difficult not having someone to correct me especially when you are going to a big competition like this.

There is a French coach who is here but there is language barrier, we have a translator but it is always good to have someone who you can speak to me directly, hopefully all will go well and I perform well in Paris,” he underscored.

Qualifying for the Paris Olympics has however not been a smooth ride and at some point Yego disclosed that he lost hope on booking a ticket to Paris.

“It was tough qualifying for the Olympics; I had to wait until the last minute to see if I have qualified through the rankings. It has not been easy, this was the most difficult season for me, I started well in March, but I sustained an injury at the Kip Keino Classic, although I managed to overcome the challenge and here I am qualified for the Olympics,” Yego, the National Police Service athlete revealed.

He added, “I am fit now, I am trying to push the body to the limit so that I get it right at the Olympics, it is the right time to push now and I am feeling well.”

Yego hinted that Paris might be his last Olympics and was worried that there is no one to take over from him.

“If today I decide to quit, we will not have anybody to represent Kenya. I have tried to elevate the game for 16 years now. We have the talent but the problem is the facilities and the sport is not cheap; a javelin costs at least

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