Kenya's Olympic and world 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto has tested positive for coronavirus and will miss the season-opening Diamond League meeting in Monaco on Friday, the 25-year-old has confirmed.
Kipruto said he was in great shape ahead of the event and hoped to break the world record which is currently held by Kenyan-born Qatari Saif Saaeed Shaheen (7:53.63).
"Our World is going through a challenging period and we all have to take our responsibilities," Kipruto said on Instagram.
"Unfortunately my COVID-19 test, as part of the Monaco-protocol, came back positive and therefore I can't be part of the Monaco Diamond League on Aug. 14.
"I don't have any symptoms and I was actually in great shape. I was planning to go for the world record. It has stayed too long outside Kenya."
The Monaco Diamond League meeting will be followed by events in Stockholm, Lausanne, Brussels, Rome/Naples, Doha and a yet to be determined location in China.
Meetings in Eugene, London, Paris, Rabat, Gateshead and Shanghai have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.