Special report:   2008 Olympic Games     

    NAIROBI, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's athletics official on Tuesday named a provisional squad of 121 athletes to participate in next month's national trials for the upcoming Beijing Olympics which will be held in August this year.

    The Athletic Kenya (AK) said the national trials will be used to gauge the strength of the runners and select athletes for the August Beijing Olympic Games in China.

    Athletics Kenya chairman Isaiah Kiplagat said the selected athletes would go to camp next week in Western Kenya to prepare for the Olympics.

    Kiplagat warned any athlete who will not attend the camp would be disqualified for the Beijing Olympics. He said this time round they have decided to have a longer training program for the athletes for better performance in Beijing.

    The AK chairman said the Olympic Committee of Kenya has granted them 2 million shillings which will be used to pay allowances to the athletes and coaches.

    He said other athletes who perform well in the upcoming events, plus the national trials will also be considered for the Beijing bound team.