Rotich aiming for better outing in Stockholm after poor Monaco show
After a dismal performance in Monaco Diamond League, Ferguson Rotich has shifted his focus on the second leg of the Wanda Diamond League in Stockholm, Sweden.
Rotich came a distant eight in the 800m men race where world champion Donavan Brazier from the US finished at 1:43.15, beating fellow country man Bryce Hoppel to second place in personal best 1:43.23.
Canadian Marco Arop came third in personal best of 1:44.14, while Rotich managed 1:45.48.
“I was not able to train properly after the Covid-19 lockdown and that is why I wasn’t well prepared for this race but I have to intensify my training ahead of Stockholm,” said Rotich.
In last year’s meeting in Monaco, Rotich was second in 1:42.54, while Botswana’s Nigel Amos won in a time of 1:41.89.
Bosnian Amel Tuka was third in 1:43.62. During the World Championship in Athletics in Doha last year he claimed bronze.
Competing in his fourth championship, the 30-year-old athlete timed 1.43.82 seconds behind gold medallist Brazier who timed 1:42.34 to win in a championship record time.
It was the first championship medal for Rotich, who represented Kenya in the 2013 world championships and finished fifth, but was disqualified for lane infringement.
Rotich has been invited for the second Diamond League meeting scheduled for August 23 in Stockholm Sweden.
Rotich will feature alongside Brazier, Tuka and Swedish record-holder Andreas Kramer.
Uganda’s Halima Nakaayi and USA’s Raevyn Rogers, the top two finishers in the 800m at last year’s world championships, will renew their rivalry over two laps of the track.
Britain’s Jemma Reekie, whose indoor time of 1:57.91 remains the fastest in the world this year, will also be in the field.
“I was not in good shape and I had not prepared well for Monaco owing to the coronavirus pandemic that disrupted training but now I want to use the Stockholm Diamond League race to rectify small mistakes as I also focus on the Olympic Games,”Rotich told People Sport.
The Diamond League meets will move to Stockholm on August 23, Lausanne on September 2, Brussels (September 4), Naples (September 17,Doha (September 25) and China (October 17).
