Kiplagat Will Not Defend Her World Title

[Ryan]

Nairobi — Florence Kiplagat, the world cross-country senior women's champion, will not run at next weekend's Athletics Kenya national cross-county trials.

The trials will also be the national championships and an IAAF permit meeting and are sponsored by the Kenya Commercial Bank. Kiplagat, who ended Kenya's long gold drought in the senior women's race by winning in Amman, Jordan, last year, has not been training since the end of last year as she is still recovering from a hamstring injury she picked up at the Berlin World Championships while running in the 10,000 metres last year.

She will not board the flight to Bydgoszcz, Poland, next month to defend her world cross country title. "I have not recovered well. But I hope to get well soon to catch up with the track season. But a persistent cough and flu also barred me from training since December 24 last year," she said.

AllAfrica.com article

[Andrew A.]

Linet Masai could prove an apt substitute.