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The selection panel has given a candid explanation of why Daniel Simiu was left out of the men's 10,000m team at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The selection panel, led by Athletics Kenya Nairobi Chair Barnaba Korir has explained why world 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Simiu was snubbed from the men’s 10,000m team to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
As per the International Olympic Committee, the first two athletes to cross the finish line automatically qualify for the event with the third athlete being chosen by a panel of selectors.
Daniel Mateiko and Nicholas Kimeli finished first and second respectively with Bernard Kibet finishing third in the race. Simiu stumbled and fell, but he had to push himself and could only afford an eighth-place finish at the event.
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Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei weighed in and explained that all athletes had a n equal chance of qualifying and they all arrived at Oregon in good time ahead of the race.
“We had a bit of a challenge with the travel documents but made sure that all the athletes who had been selected to go to Oregon to go there for the trials, Ebenyo included. There was a challenge but we made sure they all ended up there and they came back safely,” Tuwei said.
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Meanwhile, Korir explained that Simiu arrived in Oregon, two days before the race, and had enough time to rest and also prepare himself for the race.
He added that there was tough competition since most athletes had qualified and they scratched their heads to come up with that decision.
“The preparation of the team to go to Oregon was very rigorous and the team that was selection process was done by the technical bench and the coaches who have been engaging with these athletes.
“Every athlete who had the opportunity to go and compete was contacted and nobody was left out in this process. The athletes who have been selected have all qualified and the 10,000m is currently limited and they have very few races in Europe.
“The decision was that most athletes had qualified and give them an opportunity to race and give them a feel of the track before the Paris Olympics. The selection had some problems but every athlete that was supposed to go there made it.
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“Ebenyo made it there two days prior to the competition and he had an opportunity to rest and he had an advantage. All of them were okay and ready and the coaches prepared the athletes very well,” Korir said.
He added the committee had to check the performance of Kibet and Simiu and they realised that the former had also been performing well and there was no way he could have been left out.
He added that they did not want to name the team in Oregon since making the decision would be tough and they had to come back to the country to sit down and come up with a team.
“The committee realised that the third athlete had been performing well in other championships and there was no way he would be dropped. Selecting the men was very tough.
“We did not name the team since we had to sit down and rigorously decide on who was going to make the team. They made the decision according to many other reasons and the 10,000m was superb and the run was amazing,” Korir said.
Meanwhile, Milcah Chemos added that Kibet has shown impressive performances in previous races and he also played a huge role in Team Kenya winning silver at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
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She added that at the Prefontaine Classic, he fought hard for the third place and he deserves a chance. Chemos also believes that Kibet will not disappoint at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“I was in Oregon and I witnessed all that was going on, so for the number three, we came up with them because of their performance. All athletes had an equal chance in Oregon and we all saw how Bernard did his best especially when the light had gone, he tried so had to close the gap.
“In Budapest, he also played a huge role in ensuring Kenya won the silver medal. It was hard to give out the number three but at least we sat, almost 10 of us, and we came up with the number three and I believe he deserves the position,” Chemos said.
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