Borzakovsky wants world championship medal

MOSCOW (AFP) –

Yuiy Borzakovsky wins the men’s 800m gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics. Borzakovsky, says he has set his sights on a medal at this year’s world championships on home soil in Moscow.

Yury Borzakovsky, who won 800m gold for Russia at the 2004 Olympics, said in an interview published on Monday that he has set his sights on a medal at this year’s world championships on home soil in Moscow.

“I’m feeling great and hoping to gain my top form for the world championships,” the 32-year-old was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS news agency.

“I’m really excited that currently I’m capable of running even faster than I did some 10-15 years ago, even though now I need more time for recovery.

“I’m set to win a medal at my home ground. This is my minimum task for this world championships.”

But the veteran, who won 800m silver at the 2003 and 2005 world championships, said he needed to avoid injuries to perform well in the Russian capital in August.

He failed to make the Olympic final in London last year after picking up an injury just before the event, which was won in world record time by Kenya’s David Rudisha.

Rudisha is also the current world champion.

“I was really disappointed as the injury dashed the years of hard preparations for the Olympic Games,” said Borzakovsky.

“I was ready to battle for the place at the podium at London as a year before at the worlds in Daegu.”

The 2001 indoor world champion rejected rumours that he was ready to hang up his spikes after this season, adding that he was hoping to extend his sporting career until 2016.

“I’m still hungry for running and competition,” the Russia record holder at the distance said. “And I hope to be able to compete at 2016 Games at Rio de Janeiro.”