NAIROBI, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Former world 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei will attend the World Championships in Doha, not to compete but to receive her upgraded silver medal from the 2011 competition in Daegu, South Korea.
Jepkosgei, who had won bronze in 800m eight years ago, was elevated to silver after Russian Mariya Savinova, who claimed gold, was stripped off her medal following a doping ban.
South Africa's Caster Semenya is now upgraded to gold medal. But Semenya won't attend a medal reallocation ceremony at the upcoming in Doha, South Africa's track federation said on Thursday.
"It always pays to run clean," said Jepkosgei on Friday. "Though it was eight years ago, it still feels good to be appreciated."
The medal reallocation is happening after the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2017 upheld Savinova's doping ban, nullifying her results from 2010 to 2013.
She was also stripped of her 2012 Olympic gold in the 800 meters. That title has also gone to Semenya, who finished second in that race, too.
Jepkosgei will be joined by Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha in Doha. Rudisha heading to the World Championships by virtue of his position as Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA) athlete president.
Rudisha will be in Doha to motivate not only Kenyan athletes but all runners from the continent.
Rudisha says he has overcome an injury to his upper hamstring muscle, a similar problem that saw him miss out to defend his crown at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Russia. The 30-year-old has not taken part in any competitive race since July 2017 because of a nagging injury, a quad muscle strain and back problems.
Rudisha owns the three fastest times in history, including the world record of 1:40.91 set in an epic 2012 Olympic final in London.
