Kenyan marathon star to replace injured Cheruiyot at Olympics
www.chinaview.cn
NAIROBI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's athletic officials said late Saturday that world marathon champion Luke Kibet who had been selected as a reserve will replace injured Robert Cheruiyot in the men's marathon squad.
The 29-year-old Cheruiyot pulled out of the Beijing Olympic Games on Saturday after aggravating a thigh injury he first sustained in Italy.
Cheruiyot won last year's inaugural world marathon masters, a combination of the world's top marathons.
Three-times London marathon winner Martin Lel and Samuel Wanjiru will also run for Kenya in the Olympic marathon on Aug. 24.
"I first injured my thigh while training in June but I had been told it would clear but instead it came worse and especially when doing my speed work. And Friday I made the decision to step to withdraw from the team, because I did not want to travel not fully fit to represent my country,"Cheruiyot said.
Kibet who left the country late Saturday is expected in the Chinese capital Sunday along with world half marathon record holder Samuel Kamau Wanjiru and London Marathon champion Lel who will carry the Kenyan flag in the race on Aug. 24.
Kibet who was set to travel anyway as a reserve expressed his sympathies to Cheruiyot after receiving the sad news from Cheruiyot.
"I am sorry that an injury has prevented Cheruiyot from competing in Beijing because he wasreally looking forward to it. I have been trainingfor Berlin marathon so am ready and I will do my best to represent my country in Beijing."
"Luckily, we got Kibet's visa only on Friday and he will now travel. He is an able replacement going by his past track record and it is a blessing that Kenya is blessed with so much talent," Athletics Kenya spokesman Peter Angwenyi confirmed the change by telephone.
Cheruiyot said he was sad to see his chances of running in Beijing go up in smoke.
"I have never trained so hard in my life. I gave it my all but unfortunately it has come to this," he said. "I am so sad because i wanted to show Kenyans that what I can achieve for them."
He attributed his injury to too much training. "I think I overtrained in Italy and my body could not take it anymore," he said.
Editor: Xinhuanet
Baldini uncertain to defend Olympic marathon titleBEIJING (AP) -Stefano Baldini of Italy is uncertain whether he will defend his Olympic marathon title Sunday.
The Italian injured his right thigh Friday and has not been able to prepare in ideal conditions for the concluding event of the track program at the Beijing Games.
"I haven't trained for three days and my morale is down,'' the 37-year-old reigning European champion told Italian reporters Tuesday. "I'm going train four times. If I have a relapse I won't be able to race. It would be a huge disappointment.''
Breaking News : USAIN Bolt of Jamaica had won the men's 200 metres gold medal to complete the sprint double in a new world record time of 19.30 seconds. He totally dominates the 100 and 200 metres. What an amazing sprinter.
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