Kenyan marathon star Wanjiru leaves for Japan to prepare for Beijing Olympics

NAIROBI, May 7 (Xinhua) -- World half marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru is expected to leave the country next week for Japan where he will start preparation for the Beijing Olympic Games.

Wanjiru who finished runner up in the London Marathon early this month said he will return home in July to join other athletes in preparations for the Olympic Games.

Wanjiru who was selected among the nine runners in the Kenya marathon team to Beijing said he would improve on his training techniques for better performance in the world games in China.

Wanjiru, London Marathon winner Martin Lel, Four Times Boston Marathon winner Robert Cheruiyot and Rotterdam Marathon winner William Kipsang are among the nine marathoners in the Kenyan team.

Athletics coach Francis Kamau who nurtured Wanjiru said he believes that the athlete is aggressive and may bring back to Kenya the world Marathon record.

The record, which was formerly held by Paul Tergat, is currently in the hands of Ethiopian icon Haile Gebreselassie.