Wanjiru was among the three Kenyans female marathoners who exited the World Athletics Championships scene empty handed.
Amane Beriso Shankule led an Ethiopian one-two finish clocking 2:24:23 in Heroes’ Square ahead of defending champion Gotytom Gebreslase, who took silver in 2:24:34.
Wanjiru clocked 2:26:42 to settle for sixth whilst another Kenyan Selly Chepyego Kaptich timed 2:27:09 to finish seventh.
The third Kenyan, Shyline Jepkorir Toroitich, couldn’t finish the demanding course which was a loop featuring a buffer section on Bajcsy-Zsilinszky road behind the Basilica in Budapest.
Wanjuru quipped: “I know Kenyan fans are unhappy that we lost, but I honestly feel we should hold our heads high and be proud of what we managed. No matter the outcome, we hold our heads up because we tried our level best.”
“It is what it is. We ran our race, gave it our all and lost to better opponents. But that doesn’t mean that they (fans) should vilify us for our failures. The same fans had said our team is the weakest. But we believed in ourselves from the onset and ran the race,” fumed Wanjiru.
–Water Under the Bridge—
Wanjiru called on fans to always extend moral support, adding that that’s the only way they will improve as athletes and target higher limits.
Wanjiru nevertheless believes Budapest is now ‘water under the bridge’. “I know the likes of Peris Jepchirchir, Bridgit Kosgei and Ruth Chepngetich are world-class athletes, yes, but telling us we are the weakest lot was in bad taste.”
“Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do for now. We have not won medals for Kenya, but watch this space, this is sports.”
Wanjiru hopes to go back to the drawing board to ensure that she’s better prepared for next season.
Rightly so, she’ll be using a series of road races in 2023 to prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“As you are all aware, the Olympics in Paris will be the biggest thing next season, so hopefully, next year I will run one marathon major to prepare for Paris. I want to practice a lot more this year. I also will do a few road races as I prepare for next year, then focus on the Olympics,” revealed the Tokyo Marathon champion of her intended training program.
About her experience in Budapest, Wanjiru expounded: “It wasn’t an easy race because I was the strongest Kenyan among the three of us and I really tried to fight it out with my opponents. I started really well against the Ethiopians but at the 36-kilometre mark the effects of the scorching sun took a toll on me, but I still tried hard to stay in contention for a medal.”
Meanwhile, Wanjiru has promised to bounce back and prove her critics wrong. “Definitely, this is not the result I had anticipated. It’s one of those days-in sport you win and lose some. It was a bad day in the office. We move on but we won’t despair,” she went on.
The winner of the Hokuren Distance Challenge, at the Athletic Track in Abashiri in 2020 said they had planned to work as a team until the first few kilometers where her teammates lagged behind.
“The essence from the onset was to fight as a team but I realized that my teammates were way behind. We will be back in the saddle,” Wanjiru, who finished second in Berlin Marathon last year, said.
