Team Kenya medal hopes rise in Women's 10,000m as McColgan faces setback

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ATHLETICS Team Kenya medal hopes rise in Women's 10,000m as McColgan faces setback

Festus Chuma 15:30 - 18.08.2023

Persistent knee injury forces the Scottish to pull out of Saturday race.

Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion Eilish McColgan has been forced to withdraw from the highly anticipated 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest due to an ongoing knee injury. 

The 32-year-old had been training rigorously with the Great Britain team in Switzerland, but her persistent knee issue proved insurmountable, leaving her unable to compete on the world stage. 

McColgan had expressed realistic expectations about her chances of securing a gold medal, referring to it as a "pipe dream" back in May. 

Her absence, however, paves the way for Kenya's talented athletes to seize the spotlight in the women's 10,000 meters final, scheduled for Saturday 19 August at 20:55 pm.

“Sadly, I've made the hard decision to miss this year's World Championships in Budapest," she posted on Instagram.

"We always knew it was going to be tight to make it to the start line, having carried a knee injury since April... But I was moving in the right direction and banked a solid three weeks of training out here in St Moritz with the GB team.

"We tried everything we could to be race ready for this weekend, but unfortunately, I ran out of time to get back into spikes. And with the Olympics just around the corner, the stakes are too high.

"I'm hopeful that I'll be able to showcase my fitness on the roads this autumn before taking a break to prepare for 2024.”

McColgan's journey has been marked by an impressive lineage of athletic excellence. With her mother, Liz McColgan, having clinched a gold medal in the 10,000m event at the 1991 Tokyo competition, Eilish had substantial shoes to fill. 

Earlier this year, Eilish McColgan achieved a momentous feat by breaking the British record for the same distance, surpassing the previous record set by Paula Radcliffe. 

With McColgan's withdrawal, the stage is set for Kenya's runners to reaffirm their dominance in the women's 10,000m.

Among the standout Kenyan athletes set to compete are Irene Kimais, Agnes Jebet, and Grace Loibach. 

The trio boasts impressive credentials and a formidable presence in international athletics.

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