Interview with Lilian Kasait

Lilian Kasait at Kenya Prison's Cross Country championship in Ruiru

Lilian Kasait, a world Cross Country bronze medalist, a 2013 World Youth champion in 3000m, the 2014 World Junior silver medalist and a junior champion at the 2015 Africa Cross Country championships now specializes in 5000m.

After a year out of athletics as she attended training at the Kenya Prisons College, Kasait is back to training and competing. She clocked 34:17.01 for second place at the Kenya Prisons Cross Country championships. This was her first race since 2019. 

Enda: What is your target?

Kasait: My target now is to go back to training and prepare well because now there are races available. I will be preparing for the best because when preparing you have to prepare for the best and any race that will come my way, I will appreciate.

Enda: There is Africa Cross Country, Africa Senior championships – which one would you prefer?

Kasait: This year I haven’t planned for any race, my plan is to refine my training since I have not been out since 2019. I was in Prisons College for training, so I never had enough time to train while attending school. I am back now, and fully focused on 5000m.

Enda: 5000m is very competitive and at the Olympic Games there is competition from Obiri among others, what do you want to do to win a championship medal?

Kasait: The most important thing is for me to work hard in training so that I can perform well.

Enda: Last year you didn’t compete or train, do you feel it will be a challenge to come back fully to your shape 100%?

Kasait: It is indeed a big challenge because I didn't train for a long period of time. However now that I have resumed training my hope is by the time it gets to March, I would have picked up well in training.

Enda: How was training at the Prisons College?

Kasait: College was good but very tough; there is nothing easy in terms of Prisons training. I was here in training for nine months. 

Enda: Some go for disciplined forces training but when they come back, their standards of athletics have gone down, are you worried about that?

Kasait: Yeah I am worried about that because while other athletes out there were going on with their athletics training, we were undergoing different kind of training.