Gold hopefuls opt out of Uganda IAAF World Champs team

Star athletes Stephen Kiprotich and Moses Kipsiro have opted out of Uganda's team for the 2017 IAAF World Championship in London next month.

The duo, who have both achieved the qualifying mark for the marathon, informed the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) that they will not make it to the world event, which will run from for August 4-13.

"Stephen communicated to us that he is not well prepared for the competition and opted out," UAF president, Dominic Otuchet told KweséESPN on Thursday during the National Athletics Championship in Kampala.

"When we approached Kipsiro who also qualified to run the marathon, he said he was not going to take part as well," Otuchet added.

Kiprotich, a gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2013 World Championships, and Kipsiro, a four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, were expected to boost the chances of Uganda winning medals in London.

"I am just not feeling in shape and it is better to miss the World Championships because all athletes that go for such events are well prepared," Kiprotich told the media after retiring 10 laps into the 10 000m race in Kampala.

The development is another blow for Team Uganda, who this week also lost female marathoner Adero Nyakisi due to an ankle injury.

Speaking to KweséESPN, Nyakisi rued having to withdraw from London's Championship: "I have had this injury since last year and even traveled to Italy for treatment. But I still feel pain and this has affected my training."