2019 World 10,000m bronze medallist Rhonex Kipruto replaces injured 2015 World Athletics Championships silver medallist Geoffrey Kamworor who pulled out from the Tokyo Olympics.

Rhonex Kipruto replaces injured Kamworor

Authors:

Cyprian Kimutai

July 25, 2021 3:51 PM

Super sub, Kipruto is ready for action.

TAMPERE, FINLAND - JULY 10: Rhonex Kipruto of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the final of the men's 10,000m on day one of The IAAF World U20 Championships on July 10, 2018 in Tampere, Finland. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images for IAAF)

2019 World 10,000m bronze medallist Rhonex Kipruto replaces injured 2015 World Athletics Championships silver medallist Geoffrey Kamworor who pulled out from the Tokyo Olympics.

Team Kenya’s General Team Manager Barnaba Korir announced Kipruto officially joined the team after clearance from World Athletics.

“We are pleased to announce that Rhonex Kipruto is the latest inclusion to our athletics team for the Tokyo Olympics, Korir revealed.

Kipruto has already arrived at Kasarani Stadium where the remaining part of team Kenya are in residential training in a bubble camp.

The decision was arrived at after AK sought clearance from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on his anti-doping testing status, which I am pleased to say he has been given the green light.” Korir said via his official Facebook page.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor of Kenya competes in the Men's 10,000m Final during day one of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 4, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images for IAAF) Pulse Live Kenya

Kamworor, 28, was expected to challenge the current record holder and Doha 2019 world champion Joshua Cheptengei from Uganda July 30 only to suffer an suffering an ankle injury in training on Thursday, July 22.

Having been injured in a motorcycle accident while training in June last year, Kamworor worked his way to fitness.

He signalled a return to his imperious best when he won the Kenyan trials for Tokyo 2020 in a staggering 27 minutes 1 second.

The legendary Naftali Temu (deceased) remains the only Kenyan to win the 10,000m Olympic gold when he won the race at the Mexico City 1968 Summer Games. That was also the country's first ever gold at the Olympics.