Former champ recovers from injury to focus on world cross country

Former champion Joseph Ebuya will return to competition after three years of injury and loss of form, aiming to reclaim the world cross country championship in Denmark in March.

Ebuya, 31, had doubts if he will ever compete again after he tore his tendon and incurred a knee injury that saw him miss three years of competition, reports Xinhua news agency.

He returned to action early this year, competing at the Lisbon Marathon, his debut 42 km race, but was a pale shadow of his former self as he finished in the 13th position, clocking a slow time of 2:33:48.

"I have been preparing very well and my training has been good. I want to prove my running prowess to my critics that I still have enough strength to dominate the athletics circuit. I have been out for long but I want to do my best," said Ebuya on Tuesday.

Ebuya will start his cross country campaign in Spain at the Cross Internacional de Atapuerca meeting and will be up against Eritrea's Aron Kifle and Spain's Javier Guerra, Ethiopians Imane Merga and defending champion Getaneh Molla.

Cross country running is scheduled to make its return to the Olympic Games in Tokyo after it last featured in the 1924 Paris Games.

It has already made its debut at this year's Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina in a new and innovative format.

--IANS

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