NAIROBI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- World 1,500m champion Elijah Manangoi has pulled out of Friday's Monaco Diamond League meeting citing injury concerns.
"I must admit the poor form I have showed this season is down to the struggles I have had dealing with this nagging hamstring injury. It has affected me since Doha meeting in May," Manangoi said here on Wednesday.
Manangoi said he has failed to heal from a hamstring injury, which he picked up on May 3 during the Doha Diamond League meeting.
He aggravated the injury when he forced himself to compete at the Stockholm Diamond League meet last month.
However, the 26-year-old quickly dispelled any fears of him missing out on the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in October.
The athlete has sought medical help in Kenya and abroad in Sweden and the United States and is hopeful to overcome it soon. "It is being handled well by professional the doctors," said Manangoi.
The Continental Cup champion has given himself two more weeks to nurse the injury.
"All should be well in the next two weeks. I want to return to competition when I am certain of my fitness," he added. "My focus is on the trials and my World title defense in Doha in October."
Another Kenyan who is also out struggling with injury is world and Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto.
In May, the 24-year-old defending champion of the worlds suffered a foot fracture and will stay out of competition until September.
"Kipruto was forced to postpone the start of his season by canceling the Doha Diamond League due to pain in his foot. He has been diagnosed with early stages of stress-fracture in talus of left foot. He was advised to take rest," said his agent Michel Boeting.
The absence of the two, however, is not expected to water down the level of competition in Monaco as Diamond League trophy winner and world silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot leads Kenya quest in the 1,500m race.
Cheruiyot is seeking his fourth win on the road in Monaco, which would put him in good stead to defend his Diamond Trophy in September in Zurich.
Kenya coach Julius Kirwa also said former World champions Janeth Jepkosgei (2007) and Eunice Sum (2013) will make return after a long lay-off during the Kenya Police athletics championships in Nairobi on Friday.
The two will be joined by world 3,000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech, Maxilla Imali, Hellen Syombua and Stacy Ndiwa. Enditem
