Martin Lel and Sammy Wanjiru ran two of the fastest times in history in their 1-2 finish in the London Marathon, but still can't count themselves as members of the Kenyan Olympic team.
Kenyans are running so well this spring that national officials have told the pair to be patient for a week until Monday's Boston Marathon is done, in case other Kenyans trump their times.
Lel ran an all-time fifth best 2 hours 5 minutes 15 seconds, beating Wanjiru by nine seconds. The top two clockings -- including the world record of 2:04:26 -- belong to Ethiopia's Haile Gebreselassie, be he's opted not to run the Beijing Olympic marathon because of the bad pollution. It boosts the Kenyans into the position of medal contenders.
But Robert K. Cheruiyot, the winner of the inaugural World Marathon Majors series last year, is chasing a fourth Boston title, and there are more fast Kenyans who copuld pop out of the pack this season. William Kipsang set a course record of 2:05:49 in Rotterdam on the weekend and figured he had a shot at selection, until his fleet compatriots bumped him to the fifth fastest time this season.
