THE general rule with the careers of Kenyan distance runners is that they thrive earlier rather than later, but Josphat Menjo is an exception.
At 31, he's just had a breakthrough season and arrives in Melbourne carrying the title of the fastest man in the world over 10,000m this year.
Menjo is here for Thursday night's Zatopek 10 at Olympic Park and hopes to challenge the race record of 27min22.54sec, held by fellow Kenyan Luke Kipkosgei.
"I will try my level best to also be among those who have won here, like my fellow Kenyans," Menjo said yesterday.
"I know Luke very well, so I will try to be close (to his record)."
Menjo was such a late starter in athletics, simply because he wasn't interested until he joined the Kenyan Air Force and worked alongside two of the country's great runners, Paul Tergat and Wilson Boit Kipketer.
They convinced him to start running and he first represented his country in the 2006 African championships.
He then won a silver medal in the 2007 All-Africa Games and finished eighth in the final of the 10,000m at the 2007 world championships in Osaka, Japan.
He credits the introduction of gym work to his training for his resurgence this year, when he has clocked personal bests from 1500m up to the half-marathon.
"I changed training patterns this year," Menjo said. "I feel stronger now and every year there has been improvement, but now I am running my best."
Menjo also has been inspired by his wife, steeplechaser Eunice Jepkorir, who won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"It was a very good achievement for her and a great time for our family," he said.
"At times we train together, but not all the time."
Menjo's presence in the Zatopek 10 field is designed to help the local contingent, led by Commonwealth Games representatives Collis Birmingham and Ben St Lawrence, go under the tough A-standard qualifying time of 27min 40sec for next year's world championships.
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