Longisa ready to carry Kipyegon’s legacy as rising star sets sights on Commonwealth glory

Reigning National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 1,500m champion Rosemary Longisa believes she is ready to step out of the shadows and fill the enormous shoes that quadruple world 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon is expected to leave behind in Kenya's metric-mile scene.

Kipyegon has already made her intentions clear of shifting her focus to longer distances, signalling the end of an era in the 1,500m, an event she has dominated for years and one that has become synonymous with her name on the global stage.

With the queen of the metric mile preparing for a new chapter, Longisa believes the time has come for a new generation to take up the mantle and ensure Kenya remains a force to reckon with in the event.

"I want to take over from her. She will not be in the 1,500m for long, and she has already started venturing into longer distances," Longisa said. "So I just want to step in, fill that gap and continue making Kenya the best in the 1,500m."

The 21-year-old is convinced she has what it takes to carry that responsibility.

"Faith inspires me a lot. She has had a great impact on my life. Every time I want to do something, I look at her career and say if she did it, then I can do it as well.

"Someone needs to step up and fill the void Faith will leave, and I feel I am that person," she added.

Longisa will now have the perfect opportunity to back up those bold words when she spearheads Kenya's charge in the One Mile race at the Commonwealth Games, set for July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland.

She will line up alongside Naomi Korir and Teresiah Gateri as Team Kenya eyes a memorable outing on the track.

Longisa secured her place on the team for Glasgow after finishing third at the national trials held on June 18 at Nyayo National Stadium, clocking 4:10.01 behind Naomi Korir (4:08.57) and Teresiah Gateri (4:09.60). "This is my second time making Team Kenya, and I feel good."

"I am going to give my best in Scotland. This is something I have been dreaming of since I started running, to represent Kenya."

"I don't take this for granted, and I will work hard and give my all to represent Kenya," she noted.

Longisa, a student at Iowa State University, first donned the national colours at the World Indoor Championships held earlier this year on March 20 in Torun, Poland.

In Poland, she competed in the 800m but narrowly missed the semi-finals after finishing fifth in her heat in 2:03.48.

As she counts down to Glasgow, the NCAA champion says she is concentrating on building the endurance required to thrive on the international stage. "Camp training has been good, although it has been hard adjusting to the altitude in Kenya as well as the weather.

"I will be building up my endurance to be ready for the Commonwealth Games," she said.

Besides Kipyegon, Longisa also draws inspiration from fellow Kenyan middle-distance queens Susan Ejore and Dorcus Ewoi.

"Susan and Dorcus are my other mentors. Susan mostly checks up on me regularly. When I made Team Kenya, she called me; she was so happy and encouraged me."

The gifted middle-distance prospect has steadily established herself as one of the brightest talents in the American collegiate circuit.

On June 13, she stormed to the NCAA 1,500m title after clocking 4:12.10 to finish ahead of Morocco's Salma Elbadra (4:12.89) and fellow Kenyan Juliet Cherubet (4:12.99). Despite claiming the coveted NCAA crown, Longisa believes an even bigger milestone lies ahead.

Her sights are firmly set on breaking the NCAA 1,500m record of 3:59.90, set by Jenny Barringer in 2009. "This season, we are looking at breaking the NCAA record in the 1,500m. If not this year, then in the near future. If I can go under four minutes, then I can break the record.

"I got the NCAA title, and now the target is just to go for that NCAA record," she noted.