Athletics Kenya announces wild cards to Olympic Games for Daegu World Champions – Athletics news
Athletics Kenya, in a recent announcement, has stated that it would hand wild cards to 2012 London Olympics to the athletes who bagged event titles in this year’s world athletics championships in Daegu, Korea.
Besides others, one of the runners who would benefit from this newly announced decision of the authorities is the 26-year-old unofficial marathon world record holder, Patrick Makau. The consistent runner had recently annihilated Haile Gebrselassie’s world
record of two hours, three minutes and fifty nine seconds. For bagging the 38th edition of the BMW Berlin Marathon and for claiming dominance over the world marathon, the Kenyan hit the finishing line in two hours, three minutes and thirty eight
seconds.
Another splendid Kenyan performer who will be handed over with an early ticket to London is Abel Kirui, the World Marathon Champion of 2009.
While commenting upon the Kenyan athletics body’s decision over granting an entry to some of its traditional ‘outperformers’, Isaiah Kiplagat, chairman of Athletics Kenya, said, “The final selection will be tough, considering the athletes’ good form and
times, but it will also be easy to select the team to the London Games. Our only hope is for these athletes to uphold their form. Makau’s feat is a reason enough to have him in the team while the fire from Daegu must at all cost be upheld towards the London
Games.”
Runners who will benefit from Athletics Kenya’s recent decision besides Kirui are Edna Kiplagat, the marathon world title winner, David Rudisha – the 800m title winner, Asbel Kiprop, the 1500m world champion, Vivian Cheruiyot, the 5000m and 10000m title
holder and the steeplechase world title winner. Ezekiel Kemboi.
While commenting on Kenya Athletics body’s decision, both Makau and Kirui welcomed it and hoped to display the performance they had depicted back at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Sharing his comments, Makau said, “I want to repay the gesture by dedicating my preparations for London by participating in selected road races and half marathons. I pray to God for good health.”
While Kirui, who bagged gold in Daegu for marking a finish of two hours, seven minutes and thirty eight seconds, said that an early selection for the mega athletic event will give them ample amount of time to prepare for the event. He was of the view that
he had a wish to see the Olympic Games medal hanging around his neck.
While expressing somewhat similar thoughts, Edna Kiplagat, the women’s gold medal winner at the Daegu event said that now, she would contemplate about re-scheduling her training plans as the Olympic Games had become her first priority.
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