Finally, Timothy Cheruiyot gets the nod for Tokyo Olympics

World 1500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot has officially been included in Team Kenya for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Cheruiyot, who finished fourth during the Kenyan Olympic trials for the Games last month, will replace Kamar Etyang, who wound second during the trials.

Etyang failed to meet the World Athletics anti-doping rule requirements which require every Kenyan athlete to have undergone through three out of competition tests a year to a major championship.

On Wednesday, Team Kenya for Olympics General Team Manager, Barnaba Korir disclosed Athletics Kenya had petitioned AIU in the issue of Etyang but they were time barred and could do nothing to save the situation.

“It’s really unfortunate that Etyang had to be dropped due to the AIU rules which require one to be tested three times out of competition. We have explained this to the athlete and he has understood the situation we are in,” said Korir.

He also said that Kenya, which is in category in terms of doping violations, was given the conditions and there is no way AIU can bend the rules to suit some athletes.

“We were in the same situation in 2019 when two athletes Michael Kibet and Daniel Simiu were dropped from the team that was heading to the World Championships. This is because Kenya is in category A and we need to strictly follow the rules so that we can get out of the woods in future,” added Korir.

With Kenya in Category "A" of the World Athletics and World Anti-Doping Agency watch list, all the athletes who expect to participate in major world athletics championships must go through three out-of-competition tests within 10 months before the events.

The tests must be done three weeks apart within the 10 months’ period and three weeks to the championships, including one mandatory blood test.

Another athlete who will not be heading to the games in Tokyo is the US-based Moitalel Mpoke (400m hurdles) after failing to meet World Athletics requirements on anti-doping rules.

Etyang was not part of the Athletics Kenya's testing pool and only attained the qualification time during the trials at Kasarani where Charles Simotwo emerged victorious.

Simotwo, from Kenya Defence Forces, clocked 3 minutes and 33.02 seconds to win, beating Etyang to second place in 3:33.12 as the two athletes claimed the first two automatic places in the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Abel Kipsang settled third in 3:34.36 as Cheruiyot came in fourth in 3:34.62.AK had written to World Athletics to see if they can exempt Etyang to compete even though he had not fulfilled all the anti-doping rules.

Cheruiyot has been in blistering form ever since the trials and won the Monaco Diamond League a week ago in a personal best of 3:28.28, beating his previous personal best of 3:28.41 set at the same course in 2018.

Cheruiyot led the race after the pacemakers dropped out and went all the way to the tape.

Cheruiyot, viewed by many as Kenya's top prospect for gold in the 1500m, will now team up with Simotwo and Kipsang for the Games.