Kenya athletes stranded by Jomo Kenyatta airport fuel shortage

Edna Kiplagat is expected to defend her world marathon title in Moscow

Kenya's athletics team has been delayed on its way to the World Championships in Moscow by a shortage of fuel at Kenya's main international airport.

The 49-strong team is among 2,000 passengers affected, officials say.

One airport official told the BBC that 67 flights were cancelled or delayed after low pressure caused a fuel hydrant to fail.

The airport, a hub for east and central Africa, was closed for several hours on Monday.

Some 1,000 passengers were put up in local hotels.

Normal operations have now resumed at the airport and the Kenyan team left on Tuesday morning.

But Athletics Kenya spokesman Evans Bosire said the delay could affect the team's preparations:

"We now have only two days to acclimatise once we reach Moscow since the competitions begin on August 10,'' he told the Daily Nation newspaper.

Kenya won seven gold medals at the last World Championships two years ago in Daegu, South Korea, coming third in the overall medals table.