
A major blow has struck the Kenyan Olympic team as former world record holder Brigid Kosgei has been forced to withdraw from the Paris Games due to injury.
The news comes just weeks before the women’s marathon is set to take place on August 11th.
Kosgei, a 30-year-old silver medalist from the Tokyo Olympics, held the world record for the women’s marathon with a time of 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 4 seconds, set in Chicago in 2019.
She was aiming for another podium finish in Paris alongside defending champion Peres Jepchirchir and 5,000m silver medalist Hellen Obiri.
The Kenyan team, which also boasts two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge in the men’s marathon, has been undergoing intensive training in Eldoret for the past two months.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) revealed that Kosgei reported an injury during a routine monitoring session.
“Following a review by the medical team, it was determined that Kosgei would not be able to compete in Paris,” stated a NOCK press release. The specific nature of the injury remains undisclosed.
Sharon Lokedi, the 2022 New York Marathon champion who was named as a reserve, will now take Kosgei’s place in the women’s marathon lineup.
The Kenyan team will be looking to Lokedi to step up and challenge for a medal on the streets of Paris.