Champions face off in North Rift annual Cross-country championships

By Joseph Ngure

Mosoriot Teachers Training College will host the annual North Rift Provincial Cross-country championships on Saturday, as district champions face off in chase for stardom.

The districts picked their competitors last weekend at various venues and Mosoriot would be the last hurdle before the national championships. It is also an IAAF Permit Meet on February 16.

Emmanuel Kipsang and Irene Chebet would be commanding a squad of 24 refined runners from Keiyo district to the championships where the district is defending senior’s titles.

The senior men’s race boasts of former national junior champion John Kemboi, who is on a comeback trail, after suffering an injury.

Others in the mix include Wilfred Kimitei and Boniface Kongin, who finished second and fourth during the district championship in Iten last Saturday.

World championship marathoner Rispah Kimaiyo, Ruth Matebo, Leonida Mosop and Irene Chebet, all district champions, are the athletes to watch in the senior women’s line-up.

Peter Emase, the second finisher during this year’s Nike Discovery Kenya cross-country in Eldoret, will marshal support from Vedic Cheruiyot, Amos Lagat and Mathew Kimeli in the junior men’s, while Gloria Kite would be teaming up with Jackline Jepkurui, Esther Kakuri, and Emmax Kiplagat in the 6Km junior women’s race.

District flags

For Wareng district, Nelphat Sirma, Simon Kiplagat and John Koech would be flying the district flag during the championships presumed to attract stiff rivalry by the best in the region.

In senior women’s, debutant Sophy Jepchirchir will anchor former World Youth 1,500m  champion Sammary Cherotich and Veronica Jepkosgei in point harvest for the most vibrant district in Uasin Gishu County. The region would be selecting 24 runners for the national championships slated for Nairobi’s Uhuru Gardens on February 16.

“The cross-country season is heading for the home-stretch. We have only two events preceding the selection. We expect the districts to field their best on Saturday,” said Patrick Sang, the North Rift Branch Athletics Kenya Chairman.

He added that the college course, which has been used before is relatively flat and has been measured for the regional championships bringing together all districts in the four Counties of Baringo, Elgeiyo Marakwet, Uasin Gishu, West Pokot, Trans-Nzoia, Turkana and Nandi.

The climax of the cross-country competitions will be in Bydgoszcz, Poland on March 24 with Kenyans preparing to clash with perennial rival Ethiopia.