Kipchoge replaces Soi in Kenya’s team to New Delhi championships
File | NATION
Edwin Soi (left) and Vincent Yator celebrate after winning the 5,000m gold and silver medals respectively during the Africa Senior Athletics Championships in Nairobi this year. Soi has pulled out of Kenya’s team to the Commonwealth Games with former World champion Eliud Kipchoge coming in as his replacement. Yator is also in the team.
What you need to know:
- Team manager Angwenyi says Athletics Kenya have accepted withdrawal as team heads into Kasarani camp
Former World 5,000m champion Eliud Kipchoge has been recalled to the Kenya team for next month’s Commonwealth Games.
Kipchoge, fifth at last year’s World Championships in Berlin, will replace Africa champion Edwin Soi who has pulled out citing fatigue after competing at both the IAAF Continental Cup in Split, Croatia, and Africa Championships in Nairobi.
Kipchoge, third during the national trials, will now link up with Vincent Yator and Mark Kiptoo in the 12-lap race.
Kenya’s athletics team manager Peter Angwenyi made the announcement as the team of 60 athletes moved to training camp in Nairobi on Monday.
Track and field has remained Kenya’s main hope for medals at international championships having fetched six gold, five silver and two bronze in the last “Club” games in Melbourne that was supplemented by three boxing bronze medals that Kenya finish 15th overall in the medal standings.
Optimistic of great outing
Kenya’s track and field team to this year’s Commonwealth Games is the biggest with 26 women and 34 men and head coach Peter Mathu is optimistic of a great outing.
Of importance will be the marathon race where Kenya secured two silver medals at the last games.
This is in spite of the country boasting some of the best runners in the 42km race.
“We have some of the best athletes in marathon, but they have not been taking this competition seriously. This time round, we have some of the best including 2007 World marathon champion Luke Kibet and hope we will do well,” the coach said.
At the same time, Kenya is also entering a relay team for the first time in an international competition since 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
“This is one of the reasons that we have a big team. Disciplines like the throws, the walks and short distance races have come up strongly of late and that is good because it will help us get more exposure and increase our chances of winning medals,” said Angwenyi.
Without Ethiopia, USA, Morocco, Qatar and Bahrain, Kenya has high medal hopes in middle and short distance races and many elite athletes have opted to pull out including World 800m record holder David Rudisha, Soi and world and Olympic 100m champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica.
However, Kenya still has some of its best athletes including Olympic 1,500m champions Nancy Jebet Lagat and Asbel Kiprop, defending champion Janeth Jepkosgei (800m) and World champion Ezekiel Kemboi (3,000m steeplechase).
