KENYAN Rotterdam marathon champion Kennedy Cheruiyot and Boston marathon women’s winner Catherine Ndereba have been left out of the country’s Sydney Olympics marathon team announced by the Kenya Amateur Athletic Association (KAAA) in Nairobi on Wednesday night. Cheruiyot and Ndereba were expected to earn automatic places in the squad by virtue of winning at Rotterdam and Boston, but have been replaced by the Japan-based duo of Japhet Koskei and Esther Wanjiru. However, KAAA secretary David Okeyo said the two champions have been called into training as standby in case any of the six selected athletes is injuried before the team leaves for Sydney in August. Despite winning virtually all the marathon races in the world over the last couple years, Kenya has not been able to turn the success into medals at the Olympic Games.
The selected team:
Moses Tanui, Elijah Lagat, Tegla Loroupe, Joyce Chepchumba, Japhet Koskei and Esther Wanjiru. Those on standby are Ondoro Osoro, Josphat Kiprono, Kennedy Cheruiyot, Nelson Ndereva, Catherine Ndereba, Florence Barsosio and Margaret Okayo.