Two Kenyans fail drug tests in Beijing

Two Kenyans have failed pre-competition drugs tests at the world championships in Beijing and have been provisionally suspended, the IAAF announced Wednesday.

Koki Manunga and Joyce Zakary "have accepted provisional suspensions following positive samples provided in Beijing on the 20th and 21st of August respectively", the IAAF said in a statement.

Track and field's world governing body said the Kenyan pair had been tested at the athletes' hotel before their competition started as part of "targeted tests".

Zakary won her 400 meters heat in Beijing in a national record 50.71 seconds but did then not compete in Tuesday's semi-finals.

Manunga went out in second-to-last place in the 400m hurdles heats.

Kenya lead the Beijing medal table with four gold, three silver and two bronze medals - and have a 47-40-34 haul overall at the worlds - but have been the target of doping allegations in recent years and months, with 13 Kenyan athletes currently officially banned by the IAAF.

jh/msh (AFP, dpa)