NAIROBI, Kenya, April 9- One of the frontrunners for the women’s title at the April 21 London Marathon, Lucy Kabuu, has withdrawn from the event citing lack of shape to effectively compete for the honours.
Her husband Josephat Maina confirmed that Kabuu, who posted a lifetime best 66:09 win at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the UAE, had not recovered from the race to compete at the third World Marathon Majors event of the year after the February Tokyo Marathon and the April 15 Boston Marathon.
“We are disappointed she will not be in London but since she ran the RAK, she had not recovered well in training and we decided she should pull out with regret.
“It is our hope she will be in good shape to compete at the Majors races later in the year and next year’s London Marathon,” Maina added.
Kabuu is the second high profile Kenyan and third elite athlete to pull out of the women’s race following titleholder and compatriot, Mary Keitany and Ethiopian Olympics champion, Tirunesh Dibaba.
Having crowned her full marathon debut with a nation record of 2:19:34 for second at the Dubai Marathon last year, Kabuu went on to finish fifth at her London bow before coming third in the New York race in the fall where she clocked 2:22:41.
On January 19, Kabuu won the senior women 8km race at the Kenya Police Cross Championships before she travelled to the UAE to clinch top honours.