Kenyan athletes start training for Beijing Olympics

NAIROBI May 20 (Xinhua) -- The long road to the Beijing Olympics begins Tuesday morning when Kenyan track and field athletes gather in Nairobi and Eldoret to start training for the global extravaganza, the local Daily Nation newspaper reported.

Athletics Kenya (AK) last week named a provisional squad of 121 to begin training in the two camps ahead of the national trials next month.

AK opted to go the Ethiopian way by taking athletes to camp for a long training period to improve on quality, build cohesion in the team and enhance its chances of raking in medals in the Olympics.

AK chairman, Isaiah Kiplagat, said Monday it's mandatory for all athletes to report to camp, adding that no one would be given "special treatment" regarding the training schedule.

Earlier, there were fears AK would have a rough ride in its ambitious plan to have all athletes in camp as some elite runners could either be having commitments in Europe or contemplate training on their own before the national trials.

But Monday, Kiplagat said most of the agents and trainers handling the elite athletes were co-operating with AK and expressed hope all would be well.

"All agents and coaches handling the athletes have been in touch with us and have agreed to follow the new rules. They have been very supporting and we are confident the camps would go on smoothly," he said.

With the exception of World 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei and former World Indoor gold medallist Wilfred Bungei -- who are in Italy -- all the other athletes in the provisional squad are expected to converge on Chepkoilel Campus (for long and middle distance runners) in the west town of Eldoret and at the Nyayo Stadium (for sprinters, field and combined events) in Nairobi.

Kiplagat said he just got a few requests from agents asking for their athletes to be allowed to compete in the lucrative Grand Prix.

"However, they must also report to camp today (Monday) and argue their cases before the national coordinator and head coach Julius Kirwa. All others must remain in camp throughout the training period," Kiplagat said.

Coach Kirwa, who is already in Eldoret, said he had not received any request from anyone planning to skip the camp.

"I'll listen to their cases once they arrive in camp. It's only Jepkosgei and Bungei who won' t be reporting tomorrow (Tuesday), but are expected before the trials," he said.

The coach will alternate training between the Chepkoilel Campus marrum track for speedwork and the Kaptagat forest and IAAF High Altitude Kip Keino Training Centre at Kazi Mingi farm.

Africa 5,000m silver medallist, Isaac Songok, had requested to train at his Iten home together with his training-mate Augustine Choge, but Kirwa has ruled out that possibility.

"We are here with a common goal. I know each athlete's ability and it is on this basis that I want to monitor their training. It will enable me plan and strategise," Kirwa said.

All Africa Games 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop is expected to meet with Kirwa Tuesday and plead his case. Kiprop wants to travel to the U.S. to take part in an invitational meet and later pitch camp in Italy. "I'll speak with the coaches and see what to do. There is room for adjustments and I hope all of us will be happy," said Kiprop.

AK has in the past had a poor relationship with coaches and agents who offer athletes parallel training programs, a move that has impacted negatively on the overall team performance in global events.

Like Ethiopia, AK is now seeking to tighten its grip on athletes and may only allow a few to take part in races out of the country until after the Olympics.