Special report:   2008 Olympic Games    

    NAIROBI, July 9 (Xinhu) -- Kenya's athletics officials said Wednesday they have allowed nine Olympics-bound athletes to go and compete in Grand Prix races to be held next week in Europe.

    Head coach Julius Kirwa said that they had allowed World Junior800 meters record holder Pamela Jelimo, 800 meters world champion Janeth Jepkosgei and Olympic 3,000 meters steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi to take part in the event.

    Others to participate include world champion Brimin Kipruto, Boaz Lalang, 800 meters world champion Alfred Kirwa and Nancy Jebet Lagat, Sylvia Kibet and Vincent Mumo.

    "We have allowed them to go compete abroad so as to work on their speed because after trails, they won't get another chance to compete here. We have allowed them to go for one race and others two but they will then come back," Kirwa told the local FM station.

    He said that all athletes will be in camp on July 19. Jelimo, Jepkosgei, Kirwa will all run at the Golden Gala meet in Rome this Friday as well as in Paris next week.

    Lalang jets out on Wednesday night for Athens where he will compete in 800 meters. The soft spoken athlete is quietly confident of doing well.

    "The hard part was to qualify for the Olympics. Now that I made the team, I will work hard and do well in Beijing," the 19-year-old athlete said.

    Lalang added that he would love to line up against world 800 meters Indoor champion Abubaker Kaki at the DN Galan meet in Stockholm on July 22 where the Sudanese teenage sensation will attempt to break Noah Ngeny's 1,000 meters record.

    "I want to get one more chance of running against Kaki before the Olympics just to study his race and tactic before Beijing," said Lalang.