NAIROBI, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenya risks missing out on the medal podium in the 800m race after its prodigy runner Jackline Wambui withdrew from the team without any clear reasons.
Athletics Kenya director in charge of competition, Paul Mutwii, said Wambui opted out of the team hours after the country named her alongside other 53 runners in the squad that will represent Kenya at the World Championships, which starts in Doha, Qatar from Sept. 27 to Oct. 6.
The 19-year-old was Kenya's secret weapon at the championship. She is believed to be the heir apparent to former world champion Eunice Sum and has been ranked 10th this season with a time of 1:58.79.
Wambui even stunned her mentor Sum during Kenya's national trials last week but her action to pull out of the team, which is in camp in Nairobi, has caught many flat footed.
"I have no clear reason as to why she left the camp. We will have to investigate it further to establish what transpired. But we still have on the standby list," said Mutwii on Thursday in Nairobi.
Injuries, loss of form and balance between education and athletics might have taken the wind out of Wambui's sails last season, but the new prodigy looked to be the perfect antidote to Kenya's problem in the 800m.
"I know everybody is eyeing gold, silver and bronze in this World Championships and that shows you it will be competitive but I am ready for the challenge," Wambui said last week.
With Wambui's withdrawal, 2013 800m world champion Eunice Sum is now left to the fly country's flag at the World Championships.
Her withdrawal comes just three days after men's 1,500m world champion Elijah Manang'oi also pulled out of the competition due to an ankle injury he picked during training.
Mutwii explained that they were still waiting for a response from Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) over the fate of Michael Kibet and Daniel Simiyu in men's 5,000m.
Head coach Julius Kirwa has since asked athletes with doubts over their fitness to come forward and meet the medical team to discuss their time table and if at all they will pass the test to be at the World Championships.
