NAIROBI, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's coach Paul Ereng on Friday termed it a shameful after US-based Emmanuel Korir was denied a visa to travel to Birmingham, England for the World Indoor Championships.
Ereng, who coaches Korir said the Kenyan was poised to win gold in Birmingham after posting good results in the build up to the championships, which started on Thursday and ends on Sunday.
"It is a shame Emmanuel (Korir) could not travel to Birmingham, England to the world indoor championship just because the Embassy could not process his Visa. What a shame," Ereng said on Friday.
Korir, who was favorite to win the men's 800m race, has been placed in lane five of the first heat that goes down on Friday night.
Korir made the announcement of his visa denial on Facebook account, saying "I will be missing the World Indoor Championships because Visa system in New York is down."
"We must let go of the life we have planned, so as we accept the one that's waiting for us. When you work hard for your dreams some people don't care but God is great. Isn't the end of everything," Korir said.
Korir, who had applied for his United Kingdom visa in New York, was due to make a return after a flop at the London World Championships last year despite going into the event as hot favourite.
Korir clocked a world leading time of 1 minute and 44.21 seconds, erasing the previous African record of 1:44.52 set by Ethiopian Mohammed Aman at Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix in 2014.
Meanwhile, Kenya's sole runner in the women's 3,000m race Helen Obiri was forced to settle for the fourth spot in a race won by Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba.
Obiri, who won the 3,000m title in 2012 before losing the battle to Dibaba to settle for silver in 2014, will now focus on the Commonwealth Games.
Dibaba will be eyeing a double in 1,500m, where she will face Kenya's Beatrice Chepkoech and Winnie Chebet. Other Kenyans in action are Bethwell Birgen and Davis Kiplagat in the men's 3,000m final.
