Two Women Withdraw from Kenya's IAAF World Half Marathon Championships Team

By Adam Kopet

Fancy Chemutai and Mary Wacera have withdrawn from the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, according to the Daily Nation.

Both women have seen success over the half marathon distance. Wacera is the bronze medalist from the 2016 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and Chemutai ran one second off the world record at the RAK Half Marathon earlier this year.

The two withdrawals leaves the Kenyan team with a problem. It is too late to name additional athletes to the team and Kenya had not named any alternates. That means only three women from Team Kenya can take part in Saturday's race.

The Kenyan women still entered include Joyciline Jepkosgei, Ruth Chepg’etich and Pauline Kaveke. Jepkosgei is the world record holder.

In addition to the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships acting as an individual championship, there is a team component as well. Countries can name up to seven men and seven women to the team. Of the seven, only five can compete. Three are needed to score as a team. The IAAF has a full explanation of the team scoring system, as well as a preview of the course.

With only three athletes left in the women's race, the remaining Kenyan women must all demonstrate top form for them to medal as a team. One sub-par race could be enough to knock Kenya down several places in the team standings.

The IAAF World Half Marathon Championships take place Saturday in Valencia, Spain.