Kenya's athletics team went to residential camp on Wednesday to prepare for the World Athletics Championships to be held in Osaka, Japan later this month.
Athletics Kenya (AK) Secretary General David Okeyo said on Wednesday the 37-member squad will start serious training later in the day for the global championships which will run from August 25 to September 2.
"The camp will open today in the afternoon and ran until the team departs for Osaka on August 20. The selected athletes must report from 2 pm," Okeyo said by telephone.
The AK officials had warned that none of the team members would be allowed to take part in another event before the Osaka championships.
However, analysts said such warnings have in the past been ignored. The AK selected 37 athletes who will do duty for the east African nation in the championships.
Meanwhile, world's half marathon record holder Samuel Kamau Wanjiru has been called up to Kenya's 10,000 meters team for the Osaka bound team.
Wanjiru failed to make the top three at the national trials in Nairobi last weekend but AK have agreed to include the Japan-based runner in the team on the strength of his track record in distance running.
Wanjiru was also still recovering from a bout of malaria.
"Having looked at the two reasons, we saw the need to include him in the team so that he can boost the competition level and help Kenya in its quest in Japan," said AK chairman Isaiah Kiplagat.
Wanjiru was the race maker who engaged the entire field in a tactical race by taking the lead at will before stalling the pace until the last four laps when he appeared unable to respond to the challenge from the rest at the trials.
"We are allowed a maximum of four athletes in every race but only three will compete," Kiplagat said.
"So we have room for him and it will be decided later by the team management on who will run in the championship. At the moment no one has been dropped so far and all the four will go to Japan."
The only reigning champion in the team, Benjamin Limo, was included on a wild card by AK to bring Kenya's representation in the 5,000m to four athletes.
The 33-year old Limo skipped the national trials which took place in Nairobi over the weekend.
"Limo, failed to participate at the national trials on Saturday but was included by virtue of being the defending champion," Okeyo said.
Limo, a former world cross-country four-kilometre champion, won the 5,000m two years ago in Finland and named his fourth child Helsinki in honour of his victory in the city.
Source: Xinhua
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