Kenya: Former World Record Holder Kosgei Drops Out of Paris Olympics

Nairobi — Olympics marathon silver medalist Brigid Kosgei is out of the women’s team for this month’s Paris Olympics due to injury concerns.

In a statement from the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK), Kosgei was deemed unfit to compete in her second Olympics after a regular assessment and monitoring by the medical team.

“It’s during the one of the regular monitoring sessions that Olympic silver medalist Brigid Kosgei expressed an injury concern to the technical team. Upon a review by the medical team led by the Chief Medical officer Dr Ondiege, Kosgei will not be heading to Paris for her second Olympics,” the statement read.

The former world record holder has been replaced by Sharon Lokedi who clinched the 2022 New York Marathon title on her debut in the World Marathon Majors race.

It is a hammer blow to Kosgei who had seemed to be on the path to peak form after her injury woes in the aftermath of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

The 30-year-old won the Lisbon Half Marathon in March this year, clocking 1:05:51 before finishing fifth at the London Marathon, the following month.

The two-time London Marathon and Chicago Marathon champion was part of a formidable three-woman team that also included Olympics defending champion Peres Jepchirchir, Boston and New York Marathon champion Hellen Obiri.

For Lokedi, a debut appearance at the Olympics is the icing on a cake of a glittering and sumptuous road race career thus far.

The 30-year-old followed up her New York Marathon win in 2022 with a third place finish at the same event the following year – timing 2:27:33.

She has continued her trend of podium finishes this year with second place at the Boston Marathon in April (2:22:45) before clocking 31:04 to finish second at the New York 10km race in June.

The Kenyan marathon team – including men – are currently training in Ngong as well as Eldoret.

They are expected to depart the country next month, in time for their event, which will be held at the tailend of the Olympics.