Norah Jeruto Tanui (right) competes in the women's 1500m final of the 12th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships at the Tianjin Tuanbo Sports Center Athletics Arena on Feb 6. [Photo by Yan Dongjie/chinadaily.com.cn]

"Actually, this competition was not easy for me. The athletes from other countries were very strong and couldn't be underestimated," Norah Jeruto Tanui, who took the bronze medal in the women's 1500m final, said while draped in the national flag of Kazakhstan and taking photos with athletes from other countries.

"Beyond the competition, although we do not speak the same language, we have learned different languages and cultures from each other," the Kazakh long-distance runner added.