Brigid Kosgei dropped from marathon team to Paris

Kenya's Brigid Kosgei in action during the women's elite race.[FILE]

Former women’s marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei will not be flying the Kenyan flag at the 2024 Paris Olympics next month.

Kosgei, an Olympic silver medallist from Tokyo 2020, was on Wednesday replaced with 2022 New York City Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi.

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) said while announcing the replacement that Kosgei was out of the Paris-bound marathon team because of an injury.

The country’s women marathon team to Paris will now have a decorated squad comprising defending champion Peres Jepchirchir, who is the women-only World Record holder, two-time Boston Marathon winner Hellen Obiri and Lokedi.

“It’s during 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, Kosgei will not be heading to Paris for her second Olympics,” NOC-K said in statement released yesterday.

The Olympic committee further said: “Sharon Lokedi who was named in the reserve team will now join defending Champion Peres Jepchirchir and Hellen Obiri to fly Kenya’s flag in Paris.”

Lokedi, had finished second behind Obiri in a catfight at the 2024 Boston Marathon in April.

NOC-K did not however disclose the nature of the injury that has locked Kosgei out of the Olympics squad.

Kosgei had in March finished the Lisbon Half marathon, with strong talking points as she stamped authority in her return to competition strings of injuries.

That time (March this year), the double London Marathon champion missed the Lisbon 21km course record but oozed class.

She timed 1:05:51 to finish first ahead of Ethiopian Bosena Mulatie (1:09:00) and compatriot Tigist Mengistu (1:09:14) who came in second and third respectively.

Kosgei was expected to continue the stellar performance in women’s 42km at the Paris Olympics. The women’s marathon will be run on August 11.

The men’s showdown will be staged on August 10 and will feature Kenyan charges; defending champion Eliud Kipchoge, Tokyo Marathon winner Benson Kipruto and London 42km victor Alexander Mutiso.

“NOC-K would like to thank Brigid for the time to spend in training under the Team Kenya Umbrella and will continue supporting her throughout the season,” NOC-K said in the statement.