NAIROBI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's head coach Japheth Kemei has warned the women's steeplechase team to be wary of complacency and to be ready for any surprises at the Commonwealth Games.
Kemei said that other countries were working hard to beatthe Kenyans, especially in events previously known to be out of their league .
"We need to have our best talent on show. They need to rise to the challenge and leave no room for any rival to exploit," he said.
"We have a very young team in steeplechase and hopefully they will pick up the cue to do well in Commonwealth so that they may extend it to the Diamond League," Kemei said on Tuesday.
Purity Kirui is among the few champions Kenya will be lining up to defend their titles.
With a lucrative Diamond League meeting starting in less than three weeks, Kirui to be in top form and in order to retain her crown.
But she faces tough competition from the likes of Cellphine Chespol.
The third runner from Kenya will be Fancy Cherono. Both Chespol and Cherono are making their Commonwealth Gamesdebut .
Chespol has run the fastest time in history for a 19-year old. She stormed to a national record time of 8 minutes and 58.78 seconds to win the Eugene Diamond League race in May last year.
Her time in Eugene made her the second fastest woman in the history of the event after Kenyan-Born Ruth Jebet of Bahrain in 8:52.78.
However, a tactical error, common for a novice athlete, at the London World Championships allowed Americans Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs to steal the medals, Chespol will be keen to make amends starting with the Commonwealth Games.
"I learnedmy lesson and now we are focused on polishing areas I need to improve," she said. "We don't run until April 11, which is a straight final. Thereafter, I will be looking at the Diamond League and hope to get my revenge," Chespol added .
"Not winning in London last year was a shock to me. I don't want a repeat in Gold Coast. We shall run as a team. We will put up a very explosive title defense," said Chespol.
