NAIROBI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Ever since he was crowned the Africa Junior 800m champion Solomon Lekuta of Kenya has always dreamt of inheriting the fort of his mentor David Rudisha.

However, the 19-year-old knows success and ascend to the top of middle distance will not be a walk in the pack.

"It is down to what you want to do in training. What plans do you have and who do you want to emulate. Rudisha has set the bar so high and any athlete winning what Rudisha has done will be happy," he said on Saturday.

Lekuta hopes he will be strong enough to challenge for a slot in the Kenya team to the World Under-20 Championships in June in Tampere, Finland.

"The first step is always to make the cut in the Kenya team. That is the hardest because every year, somebody new comes and can scuttle plans for so many. But I believe in my own strength and ability to compete at the highest level and know I will make the Kenya team," said Lekuta.

The Kenyan junior athlete hopes to carry his dominance beyond the continent having enjoyed a golden outing in Algeria last year.

"My target is podium finish and hopefully I can emulate Rudisha in the long run because he is my role model. He was patient in achieving his goals so I'm taking things step by step too," Lekuta said.