Olympic 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot has requested to be exempted from Kenya’s marathon team for the World Championships set for Doha, Qatar from September 28 to October 6.
Athletics Kenya is set to name the men and women’s marathon team for the Doha event on Monday.
Cheruiyot, who is fresh from finishing second at London Marathon last Sunday, said she will focus on other races that her Pace Management will organise for her.
After failing to defend her London Marathon crown, losing it to compatriot Brigid Kosgei, Cheruiyot, has several options.
Cheruiyot, who has four gold medals and a silver from the World Championships, can either seek her maiden appearance at Berlin Marathon on September 29 or return to New York City Marathon on November 3 where she finished second last year.
“We are yet to decide with my management on my next race,” said the 35-year-old Cheruiyot, who is the 2011 World 10,000m and 5,000m champion.
Cheruiyot, who also holds the 2015 World 10,000m and 2009 World 5,000m titles, won silver in 5,000m on her World Championships debut in 2007 Osaka.
Fondly known as Pocket Rocket, Cheruiyot made her marathon debut in London in 2017 where she finished fourth in 2:23:50 before winning in Frankfurt the same year, improving her personal best to 2:23:35.
Cheruiyot launched the 2018 season in style, winning the London Marathon in career best time of 2:18:31, which by then was the sixth fastest time ever in women’s marathon.
Cheruiyot, who claimed bronze in 10,000m and silver in 5,000m at the 2012 London, would settle second at last year’s New York Marathon in 2:26:02, far behind winner Mary Keitany in 2:22:48.
Cheruiyot finally claimed her maiden victory at the Summer Olympics when she won the women’s 5,000m race at 2016 Rio where she also claimed bronze in 10,000m.
Cheruiyot also holds the 2011 World Cross Country senior women’s title as well at the 2010 Commonwealth 5,000m and 2010 Africa 5,000m titles.
Earlier on, Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge said he won’t be seeking to win a first World marathon title in Doha this year.
Kipchoge, the world marathon world record holder, has opted to defend his Berlin Marathon title in a race planned for September 29 in the Germany capital.
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