Paul Tergat at the Berlin Marathon Press Conference (© Lisa Coniglio)
Nairobi, KenyaKenya have named a powerful triumvirate of marathon runners to spear head their bid at next year's Athens Olympics.
Paul Tergat the world's fastest ever marathon runner, is joined by the recently crowned women's World champion Catheine Ndereba, and last Sunday's New York winner Margaret Okayo.
The Olympics will be held next year in Athens, Greece from Aug. 13-29, with the women's marathon taking place on Sunday 22 August, and the men's event on Sunday 29 August, closing the Games as is the tradition.
Athletics Kenya usually names its team for the key international competitions just a month or two in advance, giving little notice to athletes with a heavy international schedule.
It’s chairman Isaiah Kiplagat, who an IAAF Council member said that the team had been announced early to counter previous criticism that athletes had not been given enough notice to prepare.
"We have been blamed in the past for not naming athletes in good time for major assignments like Olympics, Commonwealth Games or world championships to enable them adjust to their international engagements. This time we have named and informed them almost one year before the Games. They can therefore draw their programmes with the Athens Olympics in mind to avoid any conflict in the intervening period."
Kiplagat said that only Tergat, who set the world best of 2:04:55 in Berlin on 28 September this year, had so far confirmed acceptance to the team.
"We have added (Margaret) Okayo and (Catherine) Ndereba to the list and we are awaiting their acceptance, too."
Agencies
