Masai skips police meet: Kabuu to gauge her speed ahead of February’s Tokyo Marathon

Linet Masai and Mercy Cherono lead during a past race in Spain. Masai will not compete in Saturday’s Kenya Police Cross Country Championships at Ngong Race Course grounds. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

Triple World Cross Country silver medallist Linet Masai will skip the Kenya Police Championships on Saturday at the Ngong Race Course grounds.

Masai, who was third in Monday’s 57th Campaccio cross-country race in San Giorgio su Legnano in Milan, will be away till next week.

“Linet is in Milan and is not expected until Monday,” said  elder brother Moses Masai.

However, her absence will  not water down the level of competition for the Police cross country championships, which coach Joshua Chelanga likened to a mini national championships.

“Masai called me and asked for special permission to skip the police championships, because she had contractual obligation to honour the IAAF circuit in Europe. We agreed that she will compete in the national championships. Other athletes who are injured have also been excused including David Rudisha.

Great show

“But the contest will be difficult to all. Big names will parade here and they will momentarily forget the titles they have picked across the globe and will pull on jerseys reflecting their true identity with the police force,” said Chelanga.

Indeed, there will be no love lost as contestants throw open the throttle for departmental warfare. Of course nobody emerges from the tug of war without their good name being sullied, except, perhaps, the individual at the centre of it all. For the police championships are on the hearts of many athletes who trace their development from the force. And when someone has a special place in something, one can overlook their faults.

This means that caution will be thrown to the wind as former Dubai marathon silver medallist Lucy Wangui Kabuu sticks her foot out to challenge the form girl, Mercy Cherono, Margaret Wangare, World Marathon Champion Edna Kiplagat and Berlin marathon Champion Florence Kiplagat.

Kabuu, who is targetting the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland in August, wants to polish up her skills with a win on Saturday at the Ngong Race Course. That will test her sprint prowess s ahead of Tokyo marathon where she will compete in February.

For the men senior 12km distance, the adrenaline rush in the minds of the competitors is endemic. Moses Masai, who is back from a tendon injury, doesn’t expect a softer landing as he leads the Presidential Escort onslaught.

“I have to test myself. I have been out for some time and this is perfect stage for me to shake off the rust.

But when you throw in the ilk of Asbel Kiprop, Nyanza’s Wilson Kipsang, the world marathon record holder, Geoffrey Mutai of CID, Titus Mbishei, Josephat Bett, Isaiah Kiplangat and a horde of upcoming athletes, then even the steel of Masai will be shaken.

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