THE local athletics body has made a belated entry of Wilson Busienei to the World Road Running Championships due in Udine, Italy on Sunday. The entry is a big challenge to Busienei whose dream of winning a maiden international accolade has been high, after his fourth place finish in last year’s edition in Debracen, Poland.
Busienei, who failed to finish during the national road running championships in Rukungiri last month, was included on the list of four Ugandan athletes for his previous performances in the event, which helped Uganda finish in the top eight in the past three editions.
He was seventh over all in the 2005 edition in New Delhi, when Uganda won a team bronze medal.
According to the list released by the international athletics federation, Uganda entered Busienei together with Isaac Kiprop, James Kibet, Dominique Kimutai and Nicholas Kiprono for the weekend meet.
Kimutai, who finished third in the Rukungiri championship was however dropped by the federation at the last minute after he failed to get the travel documents in time.
“We had earmarked selecting either Wilson (Busienei) or Martin (Toroitich) but after discussions, we decided to take the top four and also give Busienei another chance,” explained technical committee member Faustin Kiwa.
Busienei did not finish in the 2005 national event, but went on to finish seventh overall to spur Uganda to a team bronze medal.
r Kenyan Patrick Ivuti won the Chicago Marathon on Sunday after a tight two-man race to the finish with Jaouad Gharib of Morocco in unseasonably warm weather. Ivuti and Gharib were neck-and-neck crossing the finish line.
