Top Kenyans skip Lausanne Diamond League Leg

Top Kenya athletes have withdrawn from the  Lausanne Diamond League leg  as the IAAF World Championships draws closer on August 4-13th. However, Moscow World Champion Eunice Sum is expected to put up a fierce fight in the women’s 800m.

Sum, also the Beijing bronze medalist will face off against Rio 2016 silver medalist Francine Niyonsaba from Burundi and Glasgow Commonwealth silver medalist Lynsey Sharp from American in the women’s 800m.

This season Sum has only competed twice in the Diamond League series. She opened her season in the Doha meeting where she set a season best (SB) of 1:58.76 in third place. She then took part in Oslo where she finished a disappointing 10th with a discouraging 2:03.04.

Beijing World Championships’ silver medalist Elijah Manangoi and African Championships silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot opted to race in the Monaco meeting 16 days from now to lower their personal best of 3:31.90 and 3:30.77 respectively.

The two will be joined by Rio Olympics silver medalist and World javelin title holder Julius Yego in Monaco as they make their final preparations for the World Championships in London three weeks later.

Instead,  Bethwel Birgen, Robert Biwott, Vincent Kibet and Silas Kiplagat will put their best foot forward against former Olympic Champion Matthew Centrowitz from America and 2013 Moscow World Championships silver medalist Ayanleh Souleiman.

World silver medalist Caleb Mwangangi will also be missing in action in the men’s 5,000m due to persistent injuries but is focusing on running a faster time at the end of the Diamond league season.

The men’s 5,000m event will be an East African affair between Cornelius Kangogo with a season best (SB) of 13:22.10, Cyrus Rutto (SB 13:03.44) and seven Ethiopians led by former World Junior Champion Muktar Edris with a SB of 13:01.04.

Edris will be looking forward to wining again after he took the Paris meeting victory last week in the men’s 3,000m. Edris cut the tape in 7:32.31 while his compatriot,  19-year-old world indoor champion Yomif Kejelcha and Kenya’s 21-year-old Ronald Kwemoi, winner at two IAAF Diamond League meetings already this season charged for the finish line.

Rutto will also be looking for a better performance as after settling for eighth place in 8:04.56.The 25 year old secured his place in Team Kenya for London after finishing first in 13:31.05.

In the  1 mile non Diamond league race, Caroline Chepkemoi  and Nelly Jepkosgei  keep their fingers crossed against Rio Olympics 1,500m silver medalist  Genzebe Dibaba and her younger sister Anna.