Elias Makori
16 August 2008
Beijing — Kenya's World Marathon Majors champion, Robert "Mwafrika" Cheruiyot, will be replaced by world champion Luke Kibet in next weekend's marathon that will close the Olympic Games action.
Such is the embarrassment of talent that Kenya has in marathon running which makes it difficult to understand why the country is yet to win an Olympic marathon gold medal. This year alone, 16 athletes have run sub-two hours, eight minutes times!
Cheruiyot's thigh injury failed to heal in time, forcing the star to pull out of the Games after medical tests in Italy, Kenyan officials said here Saturday.
Kibet is expected in the Chinese capital Sunday along with world half marathon record holder Samuel Kamau Wanjiru and London Marathon champion Martin Lel who will carry the Kenyan flag in the 42-kilometre race on August 24.
Failed to heal
"I received a call from Nairobi to the effect that Cheruiyot's injury failed to heal in time and we are replacing him with Kibet," David Okeyo, the Kenyan head of delegation here said Saturday.
Kibet won the World Championships gold medal in Osaka last summer and was placed on the reserves list.
"You can now see the importance of having reserves on standby," Okeyo, also Athletics Kenya's secretary general, said.
But there was no explanation as to why 400 metres runner Elizabeth Muthoka failed to show up for Saturday's heats. Officials said she had personal problems but would not offer any specific details.
China's diving queen Guo Jingjing glided into the three-metre springboard final in top spot on Saturday as she attempts to become the most successful woman diver in Olympic history. Guo is aiming for a fourth gold medal in Sunday's final. - Additional report by Reuters
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