Marathon team likely to be changed after Tokyo cancellation
Athletics Kenya (AK) Senior vice president Paul Mutwii says Kenyan marathon teams to the now postponed 2020 Olympics Games might be subjected to changes.
Mutwii says a year is such a long period where injuries, drop in form or even other unforseen factors might come into play implying the teams that were named early in the year might have to be changed slightly or even in a great way.
“We shall be monitoring the athletes that the selection committee settled on, but remember nothing is cast on stone.
Changes will be injected where need arises,”Mutwii told People Sport after the International Olympic Committee IOC and the Japanese Government agreed to move the Games to 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
In January, AK named a team of 10 marathoners me by record-holders Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei to headline the star-studded Kenyan marathon team for the Tokyo, Japan Games which were initially scheduled for July 24 and August 9.
Kipchoge, who is the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, was hugely tipped to defend the title he won in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil four years ago where he clocked 2:08:44.
The other members in the men team include Chicago Marathon champion Lawrence Cherono, world silver medallist Amos Kipruto, former world half marathon silver medallist Bedan Karoki, and African Games half marathon winner Titus Ekiru.
The duo of Karoki and Ekiru were on stand by.
Kosgei was to lead the women’s team which also feature world champion Ruth Chepngetich and former London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot. Sally Chepyego and Vallary Aiyabei were on standby.
