Top Kenyan athletes pull out of Commonwealth Games
Athletics
By
Robert Nyanja
| Feb 14, 2018
170 athletes have been invited to take part in Kenyan trials in Nairobi on Saturday where the first three athletes to cross the finish line will automatically qualify for the April 4 to 15 championships on Australia's Gold Coast.
With the Commonwealth games coming before the summer which is unusual, athletes have a tough decision to make, either to go for the Commonwealth games or to continue with their preparations for the outdoor track season.
According to Kenyan team officials, 800 metres Olympic champion and world record holder David Rudisha and two-time Olympic 1500 metres champion Asbel Kiprop will not be seeking selections for this year’s Commonwealth games instead will be focusing on the season of lucrative Diamond League meetings which starts in Doha in May.
Other absentees include women's Olympic and world 1500m champion Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon who is expecting her first baby and the world 10,000 metres silver medalist Geoffrey Kamworor, who is seeking to defend his world half marathon title in Valencia on March 24.
Former women's 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei will make her return after the birth of her first child while women’s world half marathon defending champion, Peres Jepchirchir is absent since she is still on maternity leave.
Despite the absence of their most experienced athletes, Kenya will be hoping to perform convincingly and to top the medal table just as they did in 2014 Commonwealth games in Glasgow where they managed to grab ten gold medals, ten silver medals and five bronze medals.