Running News Daily

World 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri pulls out of Monaco event

World 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri won’t take part in women’s 5,000m race during the Monaco leg of the Diamond League on August 14.

Obiri, the Africa and Commonwealth champion, said it will not be possible for her to compete efficiently having not trained and tested track since retaining her World 5,000m title on October 5, last year in Doha.

Obiri and Conseslus Kipruto (3,000m steeplechase), were among five world champions, who have been lined up by the organizers of the Herculis EBS meeting.

“You can’t go to such an event without having done speed work. We were hoping venues like the Nyayo National Stadium or Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani could be opened for us, but it has not happened,” said Obiri. 

Obiri, who is also the Continental Cup champion, said her only hope this season is the Doha leg that will go down on October 9.

The last time Monaco hosted a long distance track event for women was in 2017 where Obiri won the 3,000m race.

Sporting facilities in the country have remained closed since March this year after the government announced measure to curb the spread of novel coronavirus.

Before Doha, Obiri will line up for the Kip Keino Classic, one of the World Athletics Continental Tour events due September 24 in Nairobi.  

Katarina Johnson-Thompson, the world champion in the heptathlon, will compete in the high jump, her best individual discipline.

Another middle distance star announced is Halimah Nakaayi of Uganda, the surprise 800m champion in Doha last year. 

Organizers also announced that Noah Lyles, the World 200m champion, will headline his favorite event. 

Others on the slate include world pole vault record-holder Armand Duplantis; Laura Muir of Great Britain, who will race over 1000m; and Germany's Konstanze Klosterhalfen, the European indoor 5000m record-holder.