NAIROBI, May 5-- Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon said she will be grateful whenever the health condition allows the athletics competitions to resume. Kipyegon, who returned from maternity leave in 2019, wanted to blossom in the 2020 season by dominating the Diamond League and staging a strong performance to defend her Olympic crown in Tokyo. However, she has been unable to compete since the season started as the sports calendar continued to be wrecked by the COVID-19 pandemic. "I was doing very well in training in Eldoret, but that has been destroyed by the coronavirus pandemic which has halted sports globally. Though even that will not wear me out," Kipyegon said on Tuesday from Eldoret. "I always look forward to fighting my way to the top and even this pandemic will not slow me down. What is important at the moment is to stay safe and healthy." Both the Diamond League and World Athletics Continental Tour competitions have been pushed back while training camps in Kenya have been shut down. This has forced Kipyegon to retreat back to be with her family. It offers her more bonding time with her daughter. "My daughter is what inspires me. I want the best for her, to see her excel. It feels good being close to my baby every day after finishing my workouts," Kipyegon added. "My body has responded well, though the training is not too demanding. I have no injury worries," she added. |