Mercy Cherono celebrates winning 5000m Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow, Scotland.
NAIROBI, June 19- Athletics Kenya (AK) has deferred the National Trials for Beijing IAAF World Championships by a week, the federation announced Friday.
The keenly contested event originally scheduled for the weekend of July 24 and 25 will now take place on July 31 and August 1.
However, the tentative venue remains Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium with the final decision expected next week when AK’s Competition’s Committee decides whether to switched to the newly laid tartan of Dr. Kipchoge Keino in Eldoret.
AK CEO, Isaac Mwangi explained the decision was made at the request of leading athletes who will take part at the London IAAF Diamond League that falls on the same weekend as initial dates.
“Athletes requested us to give them a chance to run in London and we saw it prudent to grant their request. Looking at our programme, we have enough time to prepare for the World Championships since it’s only a week,” Mwangi said.
The country’s track and field athletes for the biennial global showpiece will be named after the event besides confirmation of the final contingent for the marathon.
World marathon record holder Dennis Kimetto and his predecessor Wilson Kipsang are the showstoppers in the provisional squad for men’s marathon released on May 25.
Paris marathon winner, Mark Korir Hamburg champion, Lucas Kimeli Rotich, Felix Kipchirchir Kiprotich and Luka Lokobe Kanda are the six male marathoners named in the squad.
Titleholder, Edna Kiplagat who is eyeing an unprecedented hat-trick if she makes the final squad headlines the women’s line-up.
New York Marathon runner-up, Jemimah Sumgong, Tokyo silver medallist Helah Kiprop, 30, Visiline Jepkesho, 27, and Janet Jelagat, 26 complete the interim ultimate distance line-up.
