Olympic champion to skip Commonwealth Games marathon

Stephen Kiprotich, the reigning world and Olympic champion in the marathon, will not race the Commonwealth Games marathon in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Ugandan says he is focusing on the London Marathon in the spring of 2014 and wants to give other Ugandan athletes a chance to represent their country on the world stage. The 24-year-old also says he believes he raced more than he would have liked last season.

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“Last year, I did so many marathons. My body is a bit down and I need to recover,” Kiprotich told BBC.

“To become a Commonwealth champion is not easy. It is a big competition. But it is good for me to give a chance to upcoming Ugandan athletes and if they win medals I’ll be very happy.”

The field for the 2014 London Marathon is one of the fastest and potentially impressive set of runners ever assembled for a marathon. Last year, even as Olympic champ, Kiprotich only finished sixth at the London Marathon before going on to win world championships in Moscow.

Kiprotich has said he would also like to race a fall marathon in New York City or Berlin.

Kiprotich is not the first Commonwealth superstar to say he will miss the games. Mo Farah, who will be making his marathon debut in London, has also said it is unlikely he will race in Glasgow after winning the 5000m and 10,000m at the 2012 Olympics and 2013 world championships. Usain Bolt, six-time Olympic gold medalist and eight-time world champion in the sprints, has also voiced he does not plan to compete the Commonwealth Games.