L. MathekaPolice Cross Country first stop for returning Manangoi
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 29.12.21. | 20:21
The world beater is targeting a return to the global scene during the World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games.
Former 1,500 metres world champion and Commonwealth gold medalist Elijah Manangoi will compete at the National Police Service (NPS) Cross Country Championships in what will be his first competition on his return from a two-year doping ban.
The 28-year-old was slapped with the ban for anti-doping violations after missing three tests under whereabouts rules by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) back in November 2020. His ban was backdated to start on 22 December 2019, which is the date of the third whereabouts failure.
According to AIU, Manangoi missed tests on 3 July, 12 November and 22 December in 2019, with the athlete’s explanations for those missed tests including delayed luggage after a flight which left him with no house keys, heavy traffic at 5-6am after working a night shift for the Kenyan Police and a mistake by a delegate logging his whereabouts information on his behalf.
The 2017 World 1500m champion, Elijah Manangoi will be free (from today midnight Dec 22) to compete after serving his two years ban for “whereabouts failures” that was imposed on him by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).Via @mbatiah
— Macharia Wangui Prince (@PrinceWangui) December 22, 2021
Manangoi was provisionally suspended in July and at that time, he posted a response on his Facebook page, stating “News of my suspension by the AIU for three missed tests is really devastating for me and I’m trying to get my head round it. What I can say is each of the missed tests happened during 2019, my case has nothing to do with prohibited substances and I have always competed as a clean athlete.”
After completing his suspension a week ago, the former world champion intimated to Mozzart Sport that he would be making his return on 7 January 2022 at the NPS event.
"I never stopped training, although it has not been easy going on a lone journey since my ban. I am in good shape but since I have not competed for long, I will be using the police championship to gauge myself ahead of the busy 2022 calendar" offered Manangoi.
The runner will face stiff competition from the up and coming runners, seeing as the 2021 champion, who clinched the title for a record eighth time in 2021 has transitioned to marathon running and might not feature.
Manangoi claimed world 1500m silver in Beijing in 2015, two years before his gold medal win in London ahead of Timothy Cheruiyot, Filip Ingebrigtsen and Adel Mechaal, but he did not defend his title in Doha due to injury.
He also won the 2018 Commonwealth 1500m title on the Gold Coast ahead of Cheruiyot, Jake Wightman and Charlie Grice.
