Jepkosgei of Kenya latest athlete to withdrawal from Commonwealth Games
Defending 800m champion, Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya, has announced her withdrawal from the Commonwealth Games in Delhi due to injury. Also announcing his withdrawal is Kenyan Luke Kibet, 2007 world marathon champion.
"We have received word that Jepkosgei and Kibet have withdrawn from the Games citing injuries and illness," said Athletics Kenya Secretary General, David Okeyo.
Kenya is still deciding if they want to participate in the Commonwealth Games at all after a series of things have gone wrong in India.
It started with an unusually long monsoon season which caused an increase in the mosquito population. That in turn caused outbreaks of dengue fever and swine flu.
Last Sunday there was a shooting that raised security concerns, and then yesterday a bridge that was to be used by athletes and spectators collapsed, injuring at least 27 people.
Many countries were continuing to support India by expressing confidence that the city would be ready by 3 October, but early inspections of the athlete’s village has made a number of countries lose confidence.
Kenya has not yet had an athlete drop out of the Games for reasons other than health of fatigue.
"Jepkosgei told us she is sick, while Kibet was injured while training in Eldoret," Okeyo said.
Kenya will also be missing 1500m Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop, long distance runner Edwin Soi, and David Rudisha, who broke the world record in the 800m earlier this year then broke his own record later in the season. All three have withdrawn because of
fatigue.
Many other star athletes are already going to miss Games in Delhi due to fatigue or injury, and some, including Dani Samuels of Australia and Phillips Idowu of England, have dropped out because of concerns over their safety.
Some countries have also announced they are hesitant to attend the Games, but so far none have officially declined to participate.
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