Tirop books London ticket: National trials Former World Cross champ beats Cheptai and Aprot

Agnes Tirop leads Irene Cheptai in women's 10,000m finals during the national trials at Nyayo stadium on June 23, 2017.PHOTO.DENNIS OKEYO

2015 World Cross Country champion Agnes Tirop produced a scintillating run in the homestretch to win the 10,000m final.

This was during the opening day of the two-day national trials at Nyayo Stadium yesterday.

The 21-year old Tirop, reigning IAAF World Cross Country champion Irene Cheptai and Africa 10,000m champion Alice Aprot showed their intention of bagging the World championships tickets with ten laps to go.

The trio led the chasing pack, but Tirop was clever enough to gain an edge over Cheptai at the bell racing to victory in 31:56.0 and with it a ticket to the global meeting in London in August.

Tirop (pictured right) who made her third stab at the World Cross Country in Kampala in March will hope to make a statement in the track.

She bagged silver medal at the IAAF World Cross Country Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in 2013, then gold medal in the senior ranks in Guiyang, China in 2015.

She was also happy to beat Cheptai, who beat her to the gold medal in Kampala. Tirop finished fifth in what was a clean sweep for Kenya’s senior women.

“It feels great to make it to the London Championships, my journey has just started and I leave everything to God,” said Tirop who will be making her first appearance at the global meet.

Cheptai’s solid second place finish in 31:56.9 ensured her a ticket to London where she will be making her second stab at the World Championship following her seventh position finish in Beijing in 2015 in the shorter 5,000m.

The 25-year-old believes her journey to glory started when she won gold at World Cross Country Championships in Kampala and she declared her determination to add a track title to the cross country honour.

“I am determined to carry on from where Vivian (Cheruiyot) left by returning home a world champion. We are going to London to retain the title on behalf of Vivian,” Cheptai said.

All African Games and Africa Athletics Championships champion Aprot’s third position finish in 32:16.7 was still good enough for a slot in the World Championships team.

2006 World Junior 3000m champion Veronicah Nyaruai who clocked 32:34.6 was among other top names who finished outside the podium positions.

However it will not be a walk in the park for Kenyan girls in London.

 

Hockey
SCHOOLS: Ng'iya Girls, Ageng'a Mixed, Kisumu Girls and Nyamira headline hockey
By Mose Sammy 6 hrs ago
Golf
Ireland Brendan wins Nakuru Captain prize
Athletics
Clean podium sweep as Kenyan stars dominate Rome Marathon
Rugby
Nondescripts and Menengai Oilers book Kenya Cup semis