A number of experienced athletes, including the new world 800 metres record holder David Rudisha, will earn direct entry to the Kenyan team to this year’s Commonwealth Games.
The athletes earmarked for wild cards will skip this Saturday’s National Bank of Kenya (NBK) sponsored trials for the “Club” Games at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Most of the athletes will be taking part in Brussels Diamond League meeting, the final leg of the inaugural 14-meet Diamond League series that will coincide with the national trials.
Other athletes considered are those who already are in Africa’s team for the World Cup due for September 4 and 5 in Split, Croatia.
The Commonwealth Games will be held from October 3 to 14 in Delhi, India.
Besides Rudisha, who smashed the 13-year-old world 800m record last weekend with a new time of one munite, 41.09 seconds, the Olympic 1,500m champion Nancy Jebet Lagat will also get a direct entry to the team.
Lagat became the first athlete to secure the Diamond League title with her fourth victory in five attempts at the London meeting on August 13.
The world 3,000m steeplechase and 5,000 champions Ezekiel Kemboi and Vivian Cheruiyot respectively will be in Brussels and could also benefit from the wild cards.
Cheruiyot is also in the African team for the World Cup. Events affected at the trials are the men’s and women’s 800m, 1,500m and 3,000m steeplechase and 5,000m.
Athletics Kenya (AK) chairman Isaiah Kiplagat disclosed on Tuesday that selectors will decide on the rest of the athletes who will be allowed to miss the trials.
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