Irene Cheptai, the 2017 World Cross Country Champion, and Sebastian Sawe a newcomer, won their respective senior category races in Iten, Elgeyo-Marakwet County.
The event was the final leg of the Athletics Kenya Cross Country series.
Cheptai ran a fantastic race before accelerating at the 6-km mark, taking the lead and holding on until the finishing line. She won in 34:52.0. Jackline Chepkoech, the 3,000-meter steeplechase champion from the Commonwealth Games, came in second with a time of 35:19.4, while Millicent Kemboi took the third slot at 35:30.
Cheptai who has been practicing in Iten credited her success to careful planning.
“The race went well, and because I was running on home soil, I had an edge because I had adequate training. I was aware that all of the best athletes would compete in the race, therefore I was well prepared for them,” Cheptai said.
She added that she wanted to compete for the title at the World Cross Country Championships scheduled for the 18th of February in Bathurst, Australia. Her objective is to make it to the national team.
“I did not participate in the 2019 competitions but if I make the team come next weekend, I think I can win the championship again. I think I can still succeed and honor my nation, just like we did in 2017 in Kampala, Uganda, where Kenya took the first six positions,” she added.
In the men’s division, Sawe sprinted from behind a group of five competitors before picking up pace and passing them to take second place. He ultimately made a move in the final 100 meters to win in 30:35.7, ahead of Geoffrey Koech, who finished in 30:38.7, and Nicholas Kimeli who was third in 30:47.5.
Sawe trains in Kapsabet, Nandi County with the 2Running Athletics Club. He said that he entered the race to try his luck and added he is pleased to have won.
“I’ve never run in a cross-country race, but I am proud of how I fared. My goal is to do well in the trials to make it in the team going to the World Cross Country Championships,” he remarked.
Gilbert Kiprotich won the 8-km junior men’s race in 24:52.0 ahead of Gideon Kiprotich (24:54.1) while Daniel Kimaiyo (24:54.1) finished third.
In the 6-km junior women’s event, Deborah Chemutai won in 21:05.8, beating Pamela Kosgei, who finished in 21:15.9, and Dorothy Chemutai finished third in 21:18.5.
Former World Under-20 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who had previously won the Africa 1,500m title, finished first in the 2-km senior men’s race in 5:47.5 while Kipsang finished second in 5:47.8. Daniel Kosen managed the third slot in 5:49.6.
Brenda Chebet won the women’s 2-km senior division with a time of 6:39.9, followed by Virginia Nyambura in second place with a time of 6:41.0 and Judy Chepkoech in third place with a time of 6:45.0.
The last leg attracted a sizable number of athletes according to Jack Tuwei, Athletics Kenya President, who attended the event.
The national trials, which will be held at the Kenya Prisons Training College in Ruiru, Kiambu County, next weekend, are where the federation will choose the team that will represent Kenya at the World Cross Country Championships.
Tuwei said Kenya didn’t perform well in the last edition since athletes were influenced by the difficult course which caused the inconsistent results.
“Our athletes who had not been trained for such terrain found the route in Aarhus, Denmark in 2019 to be challenging because it included a sharp climb and another steep valley. We will make efforts to ensure athletes are familiar with their races to ensure they perform well,” Tuwei said.
The first six competitors to cross the finish line in the trials will earn automatic spots on Team Kenya, with competitors in seventh and eighth positions being chosen as reserves.
