NAIROBI – Kenya’s athletics chiefs face a difficult decision when selecting their marathon teams for the London Olympics following recent world-class performances by their athletes.
Kenya look set to dominate the Olympic marathons in August after their runners won the London men’s and women’s events on Sunday and took five of the six podium positions for the second year in succession.
Athletics Kenya Chairman Isaiah Kiplagat said the selection will be easier among the women but more complicated for the men.
“We have no headache in the selection, especially among the women. We may have to scratch our heads a little in the process of naming the men’s team. We’ll announce it this weekend,” Kiplagat told Reuters on Monday.
A source close to the governing body confided that the top three women in Sunday’s London Marathon – Mary Keitany, Edna Kiplagat and Priscah Jeptoo – are likely to be confirmed in the team.
The source said that although Sharon Cherop won in Boston on April 16, her time (2:31:50) was too slow for an Olympic slot.
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Among the men, the source would only confirm Wilson Kipsang – the winner in London on Sunday and the world’s second fastest after Patrick Makau – for Olympic selection.
A provisional team of six men and six women was named early this year. The men’s team included Makau and last year’s winners in London and Boston Emmanuel Mutai and Geoffrey Mutai, who have struggled of late.
The others were twice world champion Abel Kirui, Kipsang and Moses Mosop.
The women’s provisional team had Keitany, world champion Kiplagat and Jeptoo as well as Florence Kiplagat, Cherop and Lydia Cheromei.