Two-time World Cross junior champion Faith Chepng'etich and Africa Cross bronze medallist Alice Aprot have been ruled out of the IAAF World Cross Country championships in Guiyang, China due to injuries sustained at the team's training camp in Kigari, Embu.
Athletics Kenya president Isaiah Kiplagat confirmed their withdrawal from the women's senior 8km squad. Head coach David Letting had hoped Chepng'etich would recover from an ankle injury in time for the March 28 event.
Kiplagat stated,
The team is doing very well; the only unfortunate thing is that Chepng'etich will not participate since she is injured as well as Aprot who pulled out for the same reasons.
Chepng'etich, the African senior titleholder, left camp last Thursday and is currently receiving specialized treatment abroad. Aprot, who finished fifth at the women's 8km National championships, pulled out on Saturday.
Letting had said,
Chepng'etich is okay, we have sent her to Nairobi for assessment and we hope she will be back by Monday. Our prayer is that we get good results bearing in mind everybody will be coming to win.
Margaret Jelimo and Viola Kibiwott were put on standby to replace the pair and were set to report to camp on Monday.
Chepng'etich's absence may mean Emily Chebet, who was given a wildcard inclusion in the preliminary squad, will defend the World Cross title. Chebet, a two-time world cross champion, failed to make the cut at last month's national trials in Nairobi.
Other senior women 8km athletes in camp include Irene Chebet and Stacy Ndiwa. Kenya aims to defend its overall title from Bydgoszcz, Poland, where they beat rivals Ethiopia after bagging nine medals.
The recovered account cited reporting by The Star.
