Cross country action moves to University of Eldoret

University of Eldoret is expected to host a huge field of athletes as their 26th cross country meeting gets underway on tomorrow.

Athletes will be using the event as they prepare for the 42nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships set for Kololo ceremonial grounds in Kampala, Uganda, on March 26 next year.

It also serves as dress rehearsals for the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships in London on August 4–13.

Kibet Rono, the Local Organising Committee secretary, said he expects more than 1000 runners.

“We have been entering over one thousand athletes in this event and since our track serves as training ground for nearly all elite athletes, we expect quite a huge number,” said Rono.

Previous winners of the annual contest that include Cleophas Ng’etich and Valarie Jemeli will be back for another shot at their titles.

Last year, Ng’etich clocked 29:38.30 to win the men’s 12km while Jemeli timed 27:18.4 in the women’s 8km race.

Andrew Lorot, the Africa cross country junior bronze medalist, and Gladys Chemaiyo won 8km men and 6km women junior races and would be back as fresh graduates in the senior ranks.

The competition will feature senior men (10km) and women (8km) races, 8kmmen and 6km junior women races.

There will be men’s 10km and women’s 8km for University students’ while kids will line up one-kilometre race in different age groups as the elderly compete in two-kilometre contests.

“Registration will be done early in the morning on the same day and individual athletes pay Sh200 registration fee while children pay Sh50,” Rono said.

Meanwhile Nairobi branch kicks off the season with the first AK cross country series on November 5 before proceeding to Kangaru High School in Embu on November 12.

Nyahururu will host the third AK cross country meeting on November 19 then Eldoret’s Tuskys Wareng cross country bonanza that always attracts a high turn-out alongside the Discovery Kenya cross country meet –which is the oldest local cross country race in the country and comes up on February 22 at the Eldoret Sports Club.

The fourth AK cross country series moves to Iten on December 3rd and then Kapsakwony on December 10.