Lonyangata, Rionoripo in reserves list for World Championships

Athletics Kenya has again made changes to the marathon team for the World Championships, putting Paris Marathon-winning couple of Paul Lonyangata and Purity Rionoripo on reserve list.

AK’s top brass meeting Tuesday at Riadha House settled on London Marathon champion Daniel Wanjiru, Boston Marathon winner Geoffrey Kirui and Gedion Kipketer, who finished second in Tokyo Marathon, as the athletes to fly Kenya’s flag in men’s marathon.

Lonyangata now swaps places with Kipketer in men’s team, while Commonwealth Games champion Flomena Cheyech takes over Rionoripo’s place in the women’s main team as the latter drops to the reserves team.

Also in the reserve team in the women’s category is Valentine Kipketer, who finished second at the 2016 Chicago Marathon.

Those making the main team besides Cheyech are the 2011 Daegu and 2013 Moscow World champion Edna Kiplagat and World marathon silver medallist Helap Kiprop.

AK’s deputy president in charge of competitions Paul Mutwii, who had named the final team last weekend, said the changes have been effected taking into consideration the move by athletics management stable Rosa Associati that has suspended key marathoners, among them Rionoripo.

Rosa Associati suspended several women marathoners including Rionoripo so as to facilitate investigations into Olympic marathon champion Jemimah Sumgong’s doping case.

However, the director of the athletes’ management company, Federico Rosa, has indicated that the athletes will accepted back immediately the investigations are over.

“It’s just a precaution measure to see what will come off Rosa’s investigations,” said Mutwii.

The team will report at Naiberi Camp Site, Kaptagat on June 4 to commence training.

TEAM

Men: Geoffrey Kipkorir Kirui, Daniel Kinyua Wanjiru, Gideon Kipketer

Reserve: Paul Lonyangata

Women: Ednah Ngeringwony Kiplagat, Helah Kiprop, Flomena Cheyech Daniel

Reserves: Valentine Kipketer, Purity Cherotich Rionoripo