By Robert Nyasato and Mutwiri Mutuota

Matthew Kisorio was not only launching his bid for top honours at the fifth KCB/AK National Cross Country meet in Kisii.

The 20-year-old former World 5,000m junior silver medallist was also aiming at repeating his late father, Some Muge’s feat as the runners lined up for the senior 12km race at the Kisii Golf Club

In 36:50 minutes, Kisorio achieved what his father did in 1983 after topping a tough duel against the 2007 World Cross junior silver medallist, Vincent Chepkok, who finished ninth at the men 5,000m in Berlin.

Matthew Kisorio after crossing the finish line at the fifth KCB/AK cross-country meeting in Kisii, Saturday

Mercy Cherono after finishing sixth. [PHOTOS: ROBERT NYASATO/STANDARD]

Elsewhere, World cross junior silver medallist, Mercy Cherono, who has reaped two victories in Kericho and Nairobi rounds, found herself on the receiving end after succumbing to sixth in the women’s 6km race won by Alice Aprot.

Former jackpot winner (2006), Gladys Chemweno, became the fifth winner of the senior 8km race, while Japheth Korir retained his men’s 8km junior title to complete the quartet of toppers in the meeting held under sunny but cool conditions.

"I’m happy to win the race that my dad won in 1983 especially after taking such a short time to prepare for it. My aim is to make the national team for Bydgoszcz," Kisorio told FeverPitch after his epic triumph.

Kisorio burst to the scene in 2007 by taking bronze in the junior race at Mombasa World Cross behind Chepkok, who clocked 37:13 for runner-up after failing to match the victor’s finishing burst.

The pair chased each other from mid-race, but Kisorio, who came sixth (junior race) in Edinburgh and Amman (senior) World Cross editions, powered away for victory in the last lap. Leonard Langat (37:24) was third ahead of Kimutai Kiplimo (37:30), while fifth-placed Shadrack Kosgei (37:34) kept his Sh250,000 jackpot hopes alive. Kosgei, a veteran of the 2000 World Cross won in Nairobi before taking second in Embu.

Talented, Cherono, who is the World and Africa 3,000m champion and leader in the chase for jackpot honours after successive wins in Kericho and Nairobi saw her charge halted in her speciality.

"I have an injury at the hip that slowed me down. I will resume competition after it recovers. The terrain was okay and the course good," Cherono who ran 21:24 for sixth said. Aprot clocked 21:02 for victory after charging away from the field.