Legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge to skip World Championships

Former marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge will not be competing in the world championships, Athletics Kenya Youth and Development director Barnaba Korir has said.

Korir said the former world record holder has opted not to participate to pave the way for other athletes.

Kipchoge’s last call to participate in the Paris Olympic Games was met with backlash from a section of Kenyans who had questioned his inclusion despite not being at his best that season.

Korir however noted that Kipchoge’s participation in such major events inspires many athletes.

“We asked Kipchoge if he would participate but he said he would prefer someone else to go this time round. We don’t want to pressure him although we’d have liked him to go,” Korir told Citizen Digital.

He added, “What many people don’t know is that his participation on the biggest stage inspires a lot of athletes. Some of these athletes are fired up when they see the greats lining up with them.”

The one-time world champion has although never fancied the global showpiece with his last participation coming in 2011 in Daegu, South Korea, where he placed 7th in 5,000m.

He has however participated in every Olympic Games’ edition since 2004 in Athens, Greece to the latest in Paris with his only miss coming in the 2012 Olympic Games in London where he failed to qualify in his former 5,000m prompting him to switch to road races and later marathon.

Korir also revealed that many athletes have overlooked the world championships and are instead shifting their focus on the upcoming marathon majors.

This isn’t a shock as many elite athletes have opted to skip the world championships and opted for preparations for Marathon majors and mainly Berlin, Chicago and New York City marathons which are lined up after the world championships.

“Kenya has many talented athletes and it is always a headache to select three from the pool. However, it depends on who is willing to participate because many athletes have already opted out.”

He however said the remaining athletes will be selected on merit based on their performances in different competitions with no special treatment to any athlete.

“We will select a team of marathoners through merit. We will use rankings and performances in different competitions from a group of those who will accept to go to the world championships. There are athletes who do well in marathon majors but fail in championships and vice versa. We have to factor in everything,” Korir added. 

Other categories will see athletes subjected to national trials scheduled for Tuesday at Ulinzi Sports Complex with 150 athletes invited.

Only invited athletes, who have undergone the requisite out-of-competition anti-doping tests, are eligible to participate.

The 10,000m men and 5,000m women trials were already done at the Prefontaine Classic with Edwin Kurgat and Ishmael Kipkurui bagging the 25-lap race ticket while Beatrece Chebet and Agnes Ng’etich bagged the 5km race tickets.

Two athletes will earn direct tickets in each category while a third athlete will be selected by an Athletics Kenya panel.