NAIROBI, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon said Thursday she would skip this year's African Games, which will be held in Rabat, Morocco in August.
Kipyegon joins world 1,500m champion Elijah Manangoi who has also asked to be excluded from the continental mini Olympics in order to focus on defending his title at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6.
The 26-year-old said the Games, which will have athletes from all the 54 African countries, have come too soon for her as she intensifies her comeback from motherhood and will be good to test herself at the World Championships.
Kipyegon will lead Kenya's entourage at this year's Prefontaine Classic in Eugen, Oregon on June 30, which will be the seventh stop in the Diamond League.
"It will be my first race in over two years and I have no specific expectations other than just to have a good race and avoid injury. I need to get that competitive nature back in me," Kipyegon said.
Kipyegon, who returned to training two months ago, had earlier said she intends to defend her Olympic title in Tokyo in 2020 and will only use competition in 2019 to gauge her body and shake off the rust having skipped competition since September 2017.
"I don't want to put myself under pressure with targets because I am not sure what to accept as good performance. I always want to win, but I must be realistic. The most important thing is for me to remain firmly focused in making it to Doha for the World Championships," added Kipyegon.
"I am open to criticism and challenges that will come my way. I might take part in other races which I am yet to decide. However, it is important I clear this hurdle and win the war in my mind that am back in active competition," she said.
