Kenyan star Kiprop rues Bahamas miss

Beijing Olympics and two-time World 1500m champion, Asbel Kiprop of Kenya, has expressed disappointment at missing this weekend's IAAF World Relay Championships in Bahamas as he eyes a quick return to action in Diamond League opener in Doha.

Kenya left for the second edition of the World Relays on Wednesday night without their biggest star Kiprop and world 1500m junior record holder and African silver medalist, Richard Kwemoi, who is reported to be in his base in Japan.

Speaking from his Eldoret base on Thursday after light work- outs, Kiprop dismissed claims circulating locally he had decided to skip Bahamas in retaliation after Athletics Kenya (AK) suspended his management, Rosa Associati, for six months to facilitate doping allegations leveled against runners in the Italian led stable.

The Daegu 2011 and Moscow 2013 world champion, who is bidding for a hat-trick in Beijing, China this summer, said he felt a similar hamstring strain to the one that saw his Olympics title defence at London 2012 collapse into a last place finish at the final in training.

"After the final training session (last) Friday, I felt slight pain in my hamstring like the one I had before London. This time, I decided not to risk seeing what happened at the Olympics and I informed the coaches and left camp to go to my doctor," he said.

"After consulting with team management, AK and my doctor, we agreed there was no need for me to risk further injury," he narrated. "I'm always ready to run for my country and I was among the few elite runners who took part in the local relay series to make the Bahamas team, and I hope I will recover well to compete in the Diamond League and in Beijing."

Kiprop ran the anchor leg last year in Bahamas as Kenya won gold and set a new world record in the 4x1500m relay of 14:22:22. Endite