Phil Minshull for IAAF
23 February 2001 - Kenya’s Daniel Komen will return to the 10,000 metres this summer, an event he has not run for six years, although he was the 1994 IAAF world junior champion over 25 laps.
"This year I am going to run the 10,000m and I have been doing more endurance training this winter to prepare for it. There are not many 10,000 races but I’d like to run it in Brussels, where they usually have the event," commented the 1997 IAAF World Championship 5000m gold medallist.
Brussels has special memories for Komen. It was in the Belgian capital in 1997 that Komen set a then world record of 12:39.74.
Last year Komen split from his long-time mentor and coach and is now training with a separate group, which includes 1999 World Championship 5000m silver medallist Benjamin Limo.
"2000 was tough, that’s for sure, but I feel I can get back to my best form this year. The winter has gone well and I have not had any injury problems," added Komen.
With his pedigree, Komen should decimate his 10,000 personal best of 28:12.79, set in 1995 while still a junior, but he is still focussed on the 5000m for this year’s IAAF World Championships.
"Maybe in future I’ll attempt to qualify for major championships at 10,000 but for Edmonton I’ll stay at 5000. I missed out on the Olympics and I still feel I can do better over the distance," said the 24-year-old runner.
This winter Komen will concentrate solely on running indoors and he said he will not bid for a place in the Kenyan cross country team going to the IAAF World Championships in Dublin next month, despite being the runner-up in the 1998 IAAF World Cross Country Championship 4km race.
