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Tergat to miss Olympics marathon
Kenyan former world record holder says he is not fit enough for the Beijing Games.
Last Modified: 21 Apr 2008 13:27 GMT

Paul Tergat has pulled out of the Beijing marathon, along with Haile Gebrselassie [GALLO/GETTY]

Paul Tergat, Kenya's former marathon world record holder, has said he will not compete at the Beijing Olympic Games in August due to a lack of fitness.
 
"I have recently come back from training and I'm not fit enough for the Olympics," Tergat told a news conference.
Tergat, 38, missed the London marathon earlier this month for the same reason.

He held the marathon world record from 2003 until last September, when it was shattered by Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie in Berlin.
Gebrselassie has also said he will not run the Olympic marathon in Beijing, citing fears over air pollution.

"I have recently come back from training and I'm not fit enough for the Olympics."

Paul Tergat
However earlier this month the Ethiopian said he would compete in the 10,000 metres event at the Games.

Tergat said a lack of preparation prevented him from competing.

"I only recently completed a military training course and I have not trained well enough for the Olympics," he told reporters in Nairobi.

"I have participated in three Olympics before and that is quite an achievement," he added.
Source:
Agencies
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