NAIROBI, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Doha 2019 World Championships bronze winner Rhonex Kipruto will replace the injured Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor in Kenya's men 10,000m team for Tokyo 2020, the local federation confirmed on Sunday.
Kamworor announced he would not be traveling to Japan on Wednesday night due to an ankle injury sustained in training, striking a big blow to the country's hopes of bringing home a first Olympic title in the event since 1968.
Kipruto tanked at the Trials for Tokyo 2020 in Nairobi last month when he dropped out of the race with four laps to go, with Kamworor going on to win the race in a Kenyan record of 27:01.06 ahead of Rodgers Kwemoi (27:05.51) and Weldon Kipkirui Langat (27:24.73).
However, the exit of the three-time world cross and world half marathon champion has opened the door for Kipruto, 21, who won the 10,000m title at the Tampere 2018 World Under-20 Championships in Finland, to pursue his Olympic dream.
According to Athletics Kenya (AK), Kipruto has been given the clearance to run in Japan by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) - the independent anti-doping watchdog of World Athletics.
Kenya remains in Category A of the doping watchlist, with athletes from the country required to undergo three tests within a 10-month period ahead of an international event to be eligible to compete.
The said athletes must also be in a World Athletics testing pool, with the strict requirements costing Kamar Etyang, who finished second in the men's 1,500m at the Trials, a place in the Olympics after he failed to secure three tests ahead of his selection.
Kipruto holds the men's 10K (road race) world record of 26:24, set on January 12, 2020, in Valencia, Spain. Enditem
