Kenya's injury-hit Kirui to defend world marathon title

NAIROBI - Defending world marathon champion Abel Kirui has been included in Kenya's provisional team for this year's Moscow championships, Athletics Kenya (AK) said on Saturday, despite concerns over a leg injury.

Kirui, who won the first of his two world marathon titles in Berlin in 2009, missed the London Marathon last month due to a stress fracture in his right shin.

"We are crossing our fingers and hoping that Kirui will recover in time for Moscow," AK technical committee chairman Paul Mutwii told reporters.

Kenya's Edna Kiplagat, who won the women's marathon title in Daegu in 2011, was also picked as part of the provisional six man and six woman list.

Paris Marathon champion Peter Some, world 25km record holder Dennis Kimetto and last year's Tokyo Marathon champion Mike Kipyego also made the men's list, AK said, along with distance runners Bernard Kipyego and Bernard Koech.

The provisional women's list inludes London Marathon winner Prisca Jeptoo, 2008 Amsterdam Marathon champion Lydia Cheromei, and Rotterdam Marathon title holder Jemimah Jelagat.

Margaret Akai, who won the Daegu International Marathon last month, and Lucy Kabuu are the other women in the team.

The team will eventually be cut to four in each category. - Reuters