By Marline Atieno
World champion middle-distance runner, Faith Kipyegon announced her withdrawal from the 2024 Prefontaine Classic citing a muscle injury.
The news came as a disappointment to fans and competitors alike, as Kipyegon was one of the top contenders expected to shine at the prestigious track and field event.
Kipyegon, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in both the 1500m and 5000m, disclosed through a Facebook post that a muscle injury suffered a few weeks ago had interrupted her training for the season.
Her medical team advised her to rest and undergo treatment to ensure a full recovery, thereby necessitating her absence from the competition scheduled to take place in Eugene, Oregon.
“I have been preparing intensively over the past months for an excellent upcoming season. A few weeks ago, I encountered a minor muscle issue, but it was managed effectively,” she said.
She mentioned that she had returned to training, aiming to kick off her season at the Kenyan trials for the Paris Olympic Games scheduled for June 14th to 15th at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.
“I noticed my name listed for the Prefontaine Classic. It is one of the top competitions in the circuit and I intend to compete there again in 2025,” stated Kipyegon, who won her 1,500m Diamond League Trophy at the Prefontaine Classic last year.
She had previously suggested aiming for a triple in the 1,500m, 5,000m and 10,000m events at the Paris Olympic Games set to take place from July 26th to August 11th.
Kipyegon’s last competition was at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, on October 1 last year where she secured a bronze in the Road Mile, concluding her most successful year in professional athletics.