EYES ON WORLD CROSS: Prisons to pick squad for national trials

Wilfred Kimitei wins the men's 10000m finals Kenya Prisons Service Athletics Championship kicked off yesterday Nyayo Stadium.[PHOTO:DENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD]

Top guns will battle it out in men’s signature race at the Kenya Prisons cross-country championships at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi, on Saturday.

The men’s corrective department’s team will be out to fashion a strong team capable of reclaiming their national crown at the IAAF Permit meeting/Athletics Kenya national cross-country trials at the same venue next month.

Benjamin Njoga, the Kenya Prisons Service Athletics chairman, said he was confident they would marshal a classy line up.

“I have no doubt that we will successfully reclaim our men’s 10km title at the nationals.

Our regional commanders and heads of various units will present formidable teams. We not only want to win the nationals but also have more athletes representing the country.

We have a strong team of our recruits from the Prisons Staff College,” said Njoga, the Principal Deputy Commissioner General Kenya Prisons.

Africa 10,000m silver medallist Wilfred Kimitei, Africa 10,000m champion Alice Aprot, Africa cross country bronze medallist Charles Yosei and Mangata Ndiwa, a world cross country sensation, are among an armada of recruits expected.

But John Mwangangi, a former Africa cross-country champion, needs to be at his best to tackle a strong field that features 2007 world championships marathon champion Luke Kibet and 2011 world 1,500m silver medalist Silas Kiplagat, who light up the relay showdown. Former Africa cross-country champion Timothy Kiptoo will be chasing a rare hat trick and will go head to head with 2012 Olympic 5,000m bronze medalist Thomas Longosiwa. Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Jonathan Ndiku, Olympian Anthony Chemut, Timothy Cheruiyot, Evans Korir, Cornelius Kangogo and new talent Bernard Rotich are also expected to offer a mouth-watering clash in the chase for team spots to the national championships.

The Kenya Prisons meet brings together a bag of mixed talents, with Kibet and Agnes Katungei staging their comebacks after career-threatening injuries took the wind out of their sails.

“I expect them to perform well and form the prisons team ahead of the World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda (on March 26), where we will defend our global title,” said Njoga.

But there has been a decline in women’s performances in Kenya Prisons.

“We have put in place concrete strategies to reclaim our former glory and soon you will see our women teams standing at par with the men counterparts. Athletics Kenya has provided us with the necessary support when required,” added Njoga.

Visiline Jepkesho, the reigning Paris Marathon winner, will lead the women’s onslaught while Olympic 800m bronze medallist and Sylvia Chesebe will anchor the relays squad.

Upstarts Jane Mwikali and Jane Murage will duck it out with Farida Chelang’a.

Kenya’s big names from Prisons include four-time Boston Marathon winner Catherine Ndereba, Susan Sirma, Salina Kosgei and Susan Chepkemei.