NAIROBI, June 9 -- Most of Kenya' s elite athletes have skipped the national championships and opted to take part in the Rome Diamond League that took place Thursday night.

The three-day championships in the athletics-mad nation, which began on Thursday in Nairobi and ends on Saturday, will usher in new national champions in each discipline in track and field in the country.

The absence of the cream-of-the-crop runners snatched fireworks that were anticipated if it was full house.

"Those who are missing in action are seasoned runners who have won almost every accolade in athletics and have nothing else to prove," Athletics Kenya (AK) Senior Vice-President Paul Mutwii told Xinhua in Nairobi on Friday.

"Their absence should be considered godsend because it gives room for upcoming talent to be noticed," he added.

Those who competed at the Rome gala include Olympic 5,000m silver medalist, Hellen Obiri, who upstaged Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia who was expected to make world record attempt.

Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion, Conseslus Kipruto, who won the water-and-barrier event also skipped the national championships in favor of the Rome outing.

Others are Kipyegon Bett, Elijah Manangoi, Alfred Kipketer, Nicholas Kipkoech and Ferguson Rotich (all 800m); Jairus Birech, Ams Kirui, Barnabas Kipyego, Nicholas Bett and Abraham Kibiwott (steeplechase); and world javelin champion and Olympic silver medalist Julius Yego.

The women who skipped the national championships include 1,500m runners, Winny Chebet and Nelly Jepkosgei.

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