10 Top African Athletes That Will Miss Rio Olympics
African athletes are renowned for their middle and long-distance dominance at past Olympics Games.
Several top African athletes are going to miss the 2016 Olympic Games, scheduled for Aug. 5-21 in Rio, Brazil. Main reasons include doping violations, injuries, fear of Zika virus infection and decisions by their countries to leave them out of their national teams.
Sources; africanews., USA TODAY, The Guardian, BBC, RUNNER’S WORLD, eNCA, Daily Sports
Kenenisa Bekele
The Ethiopian holds the world records for both 5,000 and 10,000 meters in the men’s category. Bekele is a three-time Olympic champion in the two races. He is also a multiple marathon and cross country champion. He was left out of the country’s men’s marathon team for the Rio Games. His career has been hit by persistent injuries since June 2013. In April 2016, Bekele finished third at the London Marathon.
Rita Jeptoo
She is one Kenya’s best female marathoners. Jeptoo won the Boston and Chicago Marathon titles back-to-back in 2013 and 2014. She has also won the Stockholm, Milan and Lisbon marathons. She topped the World Marathon Majors series in 2015. This is a combination of the five leading marathon races in the world. They are London, Chicago, Boston, Paris and Berlin Marathons. In September 2015, she failed an out-of-competition test for Erythropoietin and was banned for two years. The nation’s athletics federation, Athletics Kenya banned her from all competitions until October 2016.
Deborah Oluwasseun Odeyemi
She is a Nigerian sprinter, specializing in the 100 and 200 meters. Odeyemi was part of the nation’s team to World Athletics Championships in Beijing 2015. In December 2015, she tested positive for Metholone and was banned for four years.
Louis Oosthuizen
He is a South African golfer. Oosthuizen is one of the best golfers in the world and is ranked 12th globally. Oosthuizen won the British Open at St. Andrews in 2010. He opted out of the Rio Games due to family issues and also a tight schedule in his golfing year, 2016.
Charl Schwartzel
South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel joined his golfing compatriot Louis Oosthuizen in deciding to skip the Rio Olympics. Schwartzel, a former Masters champion, said he and his wife want to have more children and the risk of Zika is too great. Schwartzel and Marc Leishman of Australia are the only golfers who have said Zika is why they won’t play.
Wilson Kipsang
He is a Kenyan marathoner. Kipsang won the Bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Britain. He won the New York City Marathon in 2014 and his a two-time London Marathon champion. Kipsang is also a former world-record holder over the same distance. He set the record on his way to winning the Berlin Marathon in a time of two hours three minutes and twenty three seconds in 2013. He withdrew from the championship due to the anticipated high levels of heat and humidity in the Brazilian capital.
Dennis Kimetto
He is a Kenyan marathoner and the World record-holder in a time of two hours, two minutes and fifty seven seconds. Kimetto set the record at 2014 Berlin Marathon. He also holds the World record in 25km. Kimetto finished third at the London Marathon in 2015. He won the Chicago Marathon in 2013 in a course record time of two hours, three minutes and forty five seconds. He requested Athletics Kenya not to consider him for selection because he is set to participate in other marathons soon after the Rio Olympic Games.
Elisabeth Onuah
She is a Nigerian weightlifter. She won gold medal at the All-African Games in Congo Brazzaville in 2015. Her victory was later revoked for a doping violation. Onuah was banned for four years after testing positive for diuretic amiloride, a banned substance at the continental championships and is set to miss the Rio Olympic Games. She had been previously banned for a similar offence, from March 2010 to 2012
Chinazom Amadi
She is a Nigerian long-jump athlete. Amadi won bronze medal at the 2006 African Championships and silver two years later. In 2014, she won the gold in the African Championships in Marrakesh, Morocco. In 2007, she finished fourth in the All-African Games but won gold in the 2015 edition, held in Congo Brazzaville. She was however stripped off the gold after failing a drugs test for Methenolone, an anabolic steroid.
Samson Idiata
He is a Nigerian high-jump and long jump athlete. Idiata finished fourth in the Long Jump at 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2015, he won gold medal at the All-African Games in Congo Brazzaville. Idiata was banned for four years after testing positive for Clenbuterol, a banned substance. He was also stripped off the gold medal.