体坛英语新闻：Kenya Kiplagat eyes victory in ROK marathon race

"It will be important to qualify for the final. Running the heats in a championship is tricky than the final," said Kiplagat.

The warder turned athlete has learnt his lesson on how to run a championship. He was boxed in the final sprint during the Africa Championship in Nairobi last year August and finished fourth.

He changed his running skills and today he springs to the predatory role from the outside lane and he is eying to use the same in Daegu.

"I got a rude lesson at home in 2010. I have since moved on and if you look how I have been running, you will realisz that I like controlling the pace from the outer lane so nobody can spike me or hinder me from making the sprint," he said in Nairobi after training.

But it is easier said than done. The 1,500m race was one of the hardest in the Kenyan trials and if Kiplagat triumphed without problem and even had time to look at his opponents, it tells you that there will be a stampede in Daegu as the rush for the gold medal hits fever pitch.

Already Kenya athletics coach Sammy Rono has expressed his satisfaction on Kenya doing well in South Korea.

Rono said the team's preparations so far have gone well and he is fine tuning the squad as they trickle back home after globe trotting competing in the Diamond League.

Monday will be the last day for the elite athletes to report home and with the Diamond League taking a break, some runners will not be lucky enough to take their foot off the acceleration pedal as they seek peak performance in Daegu.

"I am ready for the championship even today. I will have to wait and see that I do not burn myself out or over train," said Kiplagat.

Rono also believes the training would go a notch higher when all athletes report to camp by Monday.

"There are no injuries and the training is going as planned. The athletes are really responding well to the program and if they carry on like this, we are sure of winning many medals in Daegu," he said.

World 800m record holder David Rudisha, 5,000m world champion Vivian Cheruiyot, Olympic 1,500m gold medallist Asbel Kiprop, Hellen Obiri, Mercy Njoroge and world 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi are the only athletes yet to report to camp.