Kenyan Olympic champion pulls out of Rio de Janeiro
26/9/2008 18:05
Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru has pulled out of next month's
IAAF World Half Marathon Championship in Rio de Janeiro citing fatigue.
The
21 year old was included in a 14 member team selected by Athletics Kenya to
represent the country at the championships set for Rio de Janeiro on October
12.
But speaking late yesterday, Wanjiru said that he would not compete
citing lack of adequate training time.
"The championships are less than a
month away and I haven't even started training so it will not be possible for me
to compete in Brazil," said Wanjiru.
Wanjiru who won the Porto Half marathon
on Sunday in Portugal last Saturday said he is already focusing on next
year.
"I am already making plans for next year's calendar because I have set
personal goals which I intend to achieve," he said.
Other athletes selected
in the team include Patrick Makau Musyoki, Francis Kibiwott, Joseph Nganga,
Mekubo Mogusu, Elijah Keitany and Stephen Kibiwott.
Veteran Pamela Chepchumba
leads the women's team which also has Philies Ongori, Peninah Arusei, Julia
Mumbi, Lenah Jemutai Cheruiyot, Philomena Cheyech and Pauline
Wangui.
Wanjiru, the fastest man in the world over the distant with a time of
59.33 minutes, had been named by Athletic Kenya in a team of seven men and seven
women for the October 12 meeting.
"The Olympic champion said he is tired
after running in Beijing and asked to be replaced. We understood his position as
a federation and the most justifiable thing to do for him was to honour his
wish," said Athletics Kenya public relations officer, Peter
Angwenyi.
Wanjiru, the youngest Olympic marathon gold medallist ever, at 21,
had stated upon his arrival from Beijing that his mission was to bring back home
the world marathon record title.
"I have accomplished what I had planned for,
to win an Olympic gold medal and that's done. But the job ahead is of much
importance and I will aim at breaking the world record in Berlin next year,"
said Wanjiru.
Wanjiru has vowed to face the reigning world champion Haile
Gebrselassie in the next year's Berlin Marathon in a bid to reduce the
Ethiopian's 2.04.26 world record.
Turin marathon winner, Stephen Kibiwot,
will now take Wanjiru's ticket to Rio. The Olympic champion has some unfinished
business with the half marathon championships.
Having gone in as a heavy
favourite in Udine last year, he suffered a knee injury limping home in 51st
place and he will be keen to put that record straight.
Musyoki finished
second behind Zersanny Tadessein last year's event will be hoping to go one
better. Currently the fastest man in the over the half marathon following his
World record of 58:33, Wanjiru was a favourite to win in Rio.
He became the
first Kenyan to win an Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Olympics when he set a
new Olympic record of 2:06.32 on his way to victory.
It capped an amazing
debut year in marathon for the youngster who has now run three marathons all
under 2:07. He made his debut in the 42 kilometre event in December 2007 wining
Fukuoka marathon in 2:06.39.
He followed it up with a new personal best of
2:05.24 as he finished second in London marathon this year before his heroics in
Beijing.
Xinhua
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