Former world 5,000m champion Benjamin Limo is an angry man following the withdrawal of two athletes Daniel Simiyu and Michael Kibet in team Kenya ahead of Friday’s world athletics championships in Doha, Qatar.
Limo, who last won the title in 2005 at the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland has never been won by any Kenyan as the country failed to raise the required number of runners at the championships leaving Africa Cross country junior champion Nicholas Kimeli and Jacob Krop to fly Kenyan flag.
“It is very disappointing as a country, which is an athletics powerhouse to present on two athletes yet we have so many talents as we the country failed to produce the best,” said Limo.
He added that Athletics Kenya should put in place some mechanism on how to nurture 5,000m runners.
“The two athletes (Simiyu and Kibet) had a good time to compete well in Doha but the federation failed to do what is supposed to be done by carrying out tests which are mandatory, meaning the federation was not prepared at all for the championships,” said Limo.
As much as he wished Kimeli and Krop good luck at the championships, he said the duo lacks experience at the world events. They should have gone for athletes who have been competing at the Diamond Leagues. Just one person is difficult. For you to win, we need teamwork which has worked well for Kenya in major races,” said 2002 Commonwealth Games 5,000m silver medalist.
He added that as a country, they should build a capacity starting from the world under 18 and under 20 where Kenya did very well in both championships finishing second and first respectively.
“We could build a very good team from such championships. A.K should be pro-active in selecting a team not just to wait for the national trials. Just like next year, there will be Olympic Games, the federation should be preparing a team by now,” he said adding that doping tests should be done on time to avoid such embarrassment.
“Some officials are sleeping, just like in 800m women and 3,000m steeplechase men where we have little hope to celebrate because of how the team has prepared itself. Eunice Sum needs teamwork and Conseslas Kipruto is injured,” he added.
He summarized that A.K should athletes’ injury not be letting them suffer on their own, hence demoralizing.
“We are not giving our athletes even after representing the nation,” said Limo.
Kibet and Daniel Simiyu failed to meet the requirements set by the Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) doping requirements did the in-competition test several times, they did not meet the required three out-of-competition tests that are mandatory for all athletes and Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) test and one Erythropoietin (Epo) test.
Additional Information The Star Newspaper