Four athletes miss Kenya camp for Worlds

Nairobi, July 25 (IANS) Kenyan athletics team coach Julius Kirwa said on Tuesday four members of the World Athletics Championships team have not reported to the pre-event training camp in Nairobi.

The missing athletes are Irene Cheptai, Agnes Jebet, Eunice Sum and Margaret Chelimo, reports Xinhua news agency.

Kirwa has said athletes who do not undergo at least three mandatory out-of-competition doping tests before the event could be pulled out of the team.

"We haven't heard from the athletes since the national trials and we don't know where they are and their state. AK must take decisive action against them," said Kirwa.

Kenya ruled the roost at the 2015 Beijing World Championships, winning seven gold medals, and will have five of the seven champions parading in London as it seeks to firm its grip at the top of the rankings.

With a team of over 50 athletes, Kenya hopes it will have the strength to weather the storm from giants US, China and Germany for the championships which starts on August 4.

The country will have a quality team in the relay and sprints races to supplement on the medals from the middle and long distance events.

"We have medal prospects in relays and the field events. Our javelin athlete Julius Yego is doing well and we hope we can compete well in 400m and the relays," said Kirwa.

Kenya sent a team of 49 athletes to the 2013 Championships in Moscow and 60 athletes in Beijing.

However, injury and stiff competition have forced the country to cut down its team to just 51 for London games.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)