Kenyan runners to miss out of the World Athletics Championships in Daegu – Athletics news
One wonders what it would look like when most Kenyan runners, the traditional dominators of the track will not constitute the field for the World Athletics Championships. The fact of the matter is that when a person has to choose between fame and prosperity,
one is most likely to opt for the later. This is exactly what has happened to big Kenyan names, which are known for their speed stamina and potential.
Had the World Athletics Championships not contradicted with the schedules of some of the most extravagant running events, Kenyan runners would have loved to join the track in Daegu. Instead, the big contracts under which they are obliged to appear for a
race in some other part of the world, they had to drop out their names from the list of the global athletics event.
The most prominent races whose schedules not only contradict with the Daegu event, but that also involves a lot of money, are the Berlin Chicago meets. The prize money being offered at these races is almost double to what the winners at IAAF World Athletics
Championships are expected to bag.
Famous for producing true warriors of long distance races, Kenya is still hopeful of finishing at the top of the podium with their current squad. Some of the big names of the contingent that will contest in Daegu include defending champion Abel Kirui and
Priscah Jeptoo, the winner of the Paris Marathon. However, in the absence of some key players, the morale of the squad will definitely be affected and to address this issue, athletics authorities in Kenya have decided to bring in David Okeyo, the secretary
general of Athletics Kenya to take care of the matters of the team.
Lamenting the fact that most of the runners had opted to pursue money rather than contesting for the pride of their homeland, Okeyo said, “This is a special competition that we only consider those athletes who have shown enthusiasm to compete. We cannot
force anyone to run for the country.”
Emmanuel Mutai, the silver medallist of the World Marathon Championships had excused from representing Kenya into the prestigious athletics event by saying that he had earlier engagements and according to which, it was not possible for him to appear at Daegu.
The secretary general, while speaking on Emmanuel said, “Mutai told us he had earlier engagements. But we take issues with his agent, who decided not to inform us in advance about his plans. I will not be surprised if those who have refused to run for the
country end up winning big race at the same time.”
With this kind of attitude depicted by the leading runner from Kenya, of course it will become difficult for the country to sustain its morale and fighting spirit during the battle for the title. However, given the fact that the squad for the event still
boasts of some key names, rivals of the event certainly cannot downplay their counterparts, who are the traditional dominator of the track.
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