DAILY NATION | Wednesday May 17, 2017 61

ITALIAN CUP FINAL Coach Massimiliano Allegri calls for treble- chasing Juventus to make amends for failing to secure the Serie A title last weekend, by winning the Italian Cup final tonight. SPORT PAGE 67

CYCLING IAAF World Championships > Champions say they won’t be in shape for global competition in August

Dutchman Tom Dumoulin cruised to victory in the 10th stage time trial of the Giro d’Italia yesterday to claim Florence and Keitany turn the race leader’s pink jersey from Colombian Nairo Quintana. down AK’s call-up OLYMPICS 2024 FIGHT -based pair say they TO THE WIRE won’t be in perfect shape The fight between for August’s World Los Angeles and Championships, ask AK Paris to host the 2024 Summer to select fresh athletes Olympics is set to go the wire after BY AYUMBA AYODI the head of the [email protected] IOC’s inspection team heaped he Iten-based pair of world lavish praise women’s record holder on both cities. TMary Keitany and Mara- thon champion Florence Kiplagat have Patrick Baumann turned down invitations to run for said neither city at the World Championships presented a risk, in London this August. saying it came The two, who spoke to Nation Sports down to a choice yesterday, thanked Athletics Kenya of the 95 members (AK) for giving them the opportunity, of the International but noted that they will not be ready Olympic for the London championships having Committee (IOC) just competed in April’s energy-sapping between “two . different visions” Meanwhile, Agnes Barsosio, named as a reserve in the team, has also with- on how the drawn with a knee injury. Summer Games be Olympic marathon champion Eliud held. Kipchoge had not responded to his se- lection in the men’s team while there were conflicting reports about the SIX NATIONS status of champion Wilson Kipsang who was also named in the team along with London Marathon ENGLAND champion Daniel Wanjiru. FACE ITALY Nursing some injures England will start AK deputy president in charge the defence of of competitions, Paul Mutwii, dis- their Six Nations closed that Kipsang had written to title away to Italy, them accepting his selection but his it was announced manager, Gerard van de veen, stated yesterday after otherwise. organisers Mutwii gave the athletes until Friday published the to confirm their availability. fixtures for both Keitany said she will not have rested the 2018 and 2019 well enough for the World Champion- Championships. FILE | NATION ships after her exploits at London Eddie Jones’s men Florence Kiplagat (left) Marathon on April 23 where she set and Mary Keitany jog a new women’s-only world marathon begin their 2018 record of two hours, 17 minutes and campaign in Rome during a photo call at Tower Bridge in London one second. on February 4 Kiplagat disclosed that she was still against an Italy side ahead of last month’s nursing some injures including sore who, although they London Marathon. back heels which she picked up during finished bottom the London Marathon in April. and without a win, “My body needs a good rest, having briefly caused broken the world marathon record, be- England problems sides running my fastest with their ‘no-ruck’ race in February,” said Keitany adding ploy at Twickenham that she doesn’t want to embarrass the country with a poor show at the World during this season’s Championships. Six Nations. “I wanted to be 100 per cent sure England are then that I am for victory in London but the at home to Wales prevailing conditions can’t allow… let before travelling someone else be picked.” to Edinburgh for a Calcutta Cup clash CONTINUED ON PAGE 62 against Scotland.