Kemboi spends four idle days in Britain and opts to come and train at home World 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi is back in the country after an idle four day's stay stay at Team Kenya's Bristol training camp Britain.
Kemboi returned to the country on Wednesday night to the surprise of his fellow athletes at the team's residential training camp at Moi, Kasarani. The former Olympic champion refused to talk to this reporter insisting: "I can't talk now am tired."
However, a source close to the athlete intimated the runner returned to Kenya after failing to get a suitable training venue ahead of the Olympic games. "Kemboi flew to Kenya on Wednesday night and reported directly to camp," the source said. "He said he could not get a place to train owing to the fact his training is a lot more different from that of sprinters, who have pitched camp there." "He has been there for four days and has not trained at all. He said the weather is unconducive and the training is restricted to the track."
The source added Kemboi talked of water-logged, long grassed outdoor training venues. These are being competed for by a huge number of athletes from all over the world who have already made their way to Britain. "He could not train in places outside the camp like we do in Karura Forest, Ngong and Brookside," the source said. "H also had to h endure very wet conditions compounded by the fact he had to seek security from the police." "Kemboi's kind of training cannot be done on the track since he is seeking endurance and not speed," the source added.
Commenting on Kemboi's return, head coach Julius Kirwa said: "What is there to talk about? If he's not satisfied (in London) then that (coming back to Kenya) was the best thing to do." Kemboi was the only middle distance runner to have flown to Bristol, accompanying 400m and 4x400m runners, javelin thrower, weightlifter and boxers. Kemboi's return comes in the wake of a fierce fight between Athletics Kenya and the National Olympics Committee of Kenya regarding the dates Kenyan athletes should travel to London.
NOCK had proposed that the athletes leave by July 22 in time for the July 27 opening ceremony while AK insisted that athletes should be allowed to travel at a later date considering the wet conditions currently being experienced in London. AK argued that taking the athletes there would weigh down on the gains of high altitude training in Nairobi and Iten while NOCK insisted that was not a reason enough. However, AK won the battle and the athletes were given the liberty to travel on their dates of choice.
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