Jelimo confirms to run in Ostrava World Challenge meet

 　　NAIROBI, March 23 (Xinhua) -- World indoor 800m women champion Pamela Jelimo has confirmed her attendance at the Ostrava Golden Spike¹ meeting on May 25 in the Czech Republic.

　　The event, an IAAF World Challenge, will be crucial to the Olympic 800m champion in her quest to test her stamina² and endurance in outdoor conditions ahead of the summer Olympics in London.

　　The Kenyan Beijing Olympic winner competed this winter for first time indoors and confirmed she regained³ international level after some years of difficulties after her Olympic gold medal.

　　Jelimo clocked first in 1:59.10 in Leivin, France to qualify for the world indoor and went on to win it in Istanbul, Turkey clocking 1:57.

　　"We have started our preparations for the Olympics and the outdoor season. She took a week off after the World Indoor and now we are back in Nairobi for the serious training," Barnabas Korir, Jelimo's local agent told Xinhua on Friday.

　　With world bronze medallist Janeth Jepkosgei hinting at jumping up to the 1,500m cadre, it looks set Kenya will have to rely on Jelimo to deliver the gold in London.

　　"I am happy that she is back in top form. For three years we have missed her, but after the show in Istanbul, it is clear she has regained her past glory and everyone in Kenya can now relax and let her do the running," Athletics⁴ Kenya (AK) chairman Isaiah Kiplagat said.

　　In Ostrava, Jelimo may well attack the meet record of another legend Maria Mutola who clocked 1:57.72 back in 2004. It will be her first meet of the summer season in Europe.

　　However, on May 19, Jelimo will join other elite⁵ athletes to launch their Samsung Diamond League show in Shanghai, China.

　　This will be Jelimo's first meeting under the Diamond League after recovering from the ankle injury that nearly ruined her career and kept her in the dark for three years.

　　At the peak time, the competition was called the Golden League and run in just six meetings in Europe alone. Now that has changed to a 14-tier competition in Asia, Europe and U.S.

　　Meanwhile, world half marathon champion Wilson Kiprop is the strongest athlete to start in the Berlin half marathon on April 1.

　　After an injury had slowed Kiprop down, he is now back in top shape and happy to take on fellow Kenyan athletes Denis Koech and Gideon Kipketer as well as Ethiopian Habtamu Fikadu.

　　Kenyan Philes Ongori (1:07:38) could possibly attack the course record of Edith Masai from 2006.

1 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

2 stamina   

n.体力；精力；耐力

参考例句：

• I lacked the stamina to run the whole length of the race.我没有跑完全程的耐力。
• Giving up smoking had a magical effect on his stamina.戒烟神奇地增强了他的体力。

3 regained   

复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。

4 athletics   

n.运动，体育，田径运动

参考例句：

• When I was at school I was always hopeless at athletics.我上学的时候体育十分糟糕。
• Our team tied with theirs in athletics.在田径比赛中，我们队与他们队旗鼓相当。

5 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。