Kenya's Cheruiyot cleared for US flight after travel hitch

Nairobi - Kenya's world 1 500m silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot has been cleared to travel to the United States to compete after being forced off the plane on Wednesday.

Cheruiyot, a two-time Diamond League winner, was travelling with his coach and four other Kenyan athletes for Sunday's Prefontaine Classic in California when he was pulled off the plane by security officials and was asked to report to the American Embassy in Nairobi.

Cheruiyot and his coach Bernard Ouma reported to the embassy on Friday morning, where he was informed his travel documents were in order but there had been "an error" in the judgement, and was free to travel to the US on Friday night.

The 23-year-old Kenyan, who ran a season's best 3:32.47 in the 1 500m in Doha in May, is scheduled to defend his Bowerman Mile title at Stanford University in California on Sunday.

Cheruiyot will come up against American 1 500m Olympic champion Matt Centrowitz and fellow Kenyan Elijah Manangoi, the world 1 500m champion.

Others are Norwegian world bronze medallist and European champion Filip Ingebrigtsen and two-time Olympic medallist Nick Willis of New Zealand.