Explainer on Team Kenya's changes: Who's in, who's out and why

In Budapest, Hungary

Injury, desire to enter athletes in races where they stand the best chance of winning medals, and commitment to the fight against doping has led Team Kenya selectors to make last-minute changes to the team that is here for the 19th edition of the World Athletics Championships.

After replacing injured athletes and shuffling the pack, and making last minute withdrawals, Team Kenya selectors are now ready to let the chips fall where they may.

So what has changed in Team Kenya’s composition?

As at July 30 deadline when Kenya made its final entries for the 2023 World Athletics Championships, the 57-man team that the country had named for the global track and field championship at the conclusion of the national trials on July 8 at Nyayo National Stadium had been whittled down to 54.

On August 30, the country withdrew its men’s 4x100 metres relay team of Africa and Commonwealth Games 800m champion Ferdinand Omanyala, Dan Kiviasi, Boniface Mweresa, Steve Onyango, Hesbon Ochieng and Samuel Chege from the senior track and field championships despite getting communication from World Athletics to field a team.

Athletics Kenya acted to forestall last-minute embarrassment at the global stage because the situation of Samuel Imeta, the 100m runner who helped Kenya’s 4x100m relay team to victory at the April 29 Botswana Golden Grand Prix to rise to 12th in World Athletics ranking globally and well into the world championship places, finds himself in.

Imeta is among 20 athletes suspended by Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya over various doping offences, which puts the team’s qualification for the World Athletics Championships, into question at a time Kenya is doing everything to fight the doping menace that has seen many Kenyan athletes either banned or suspended this year.

Kenya also replaced Commonwealth Games 10,000 metres bronze medallist Kibiwott Kandie in the team with Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Simiu.

Simiu, whom Team Kenya selectors had earlier on named in in the 5,000m team, will now team up with Nicholas Kimeli and Bernard Kibet in the Kenyan team for the 25-lap race.

Simiu has been replaced in men’s 5,000m team by Ishamel Kipkirui Rokitto, who will  now team up with Nicholas Kimeli, world 5,000m silver medallist Jacob Krop,  and Cornelius Kemboi.

Kenya has also replaced 1,500m runner Brenda Chebet in the team with 2018 World Under-20 Athletics Championships 1,500m champion Purity Chepkirui. Chepkirui, 20, who finished fourth at the national trials, will now will team up with world 1,500m and 5,000m record holder Faith Kipyegon, Edinah Jebitok and Nelly Chepchirchir in the team.

Only two Kenyan athletes will compete in more than one specialty in Budapest. They are world and Olympics 1,500m champion Kipyegon who will field in women’s 1,500m and 5,000m races, and Nicholas Kemeli who will compete in men’s 5,000m and 10,000m races.