Kenyans top the podium in Elgoibar Cross Country

Laikipia Air Base's Hellen Obiri in the 10km Senior Women race during the 37th edition of the Kenya Defence Forces Cross Country Championship at Moi Airbase on Jan 12, 2018. [Photo: Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The Kenyan duo now train their guns on the IAAF World Cross Country in Aarhus, Denmark on March 30.

The Kenyan tandem of world junior 10,000m champion Rhonex Kipruto and world 5,000m gold medallist Hellen Obiri lived up to expectation as the duo overwhelmingly topped the Elgoibar cross country, the fifth leg of IAAF cross country permit meetings, in Spain

The 19-year-old Kipruto got the better of Ethiopian rising star and defending champion Selemon Barega, while Obiri was head and shoulders ahead of Uganda’s Commonwealth 10,000m champion Stella Chesang and world steeplechase record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech.

On the eve of the competition, Kipruto was being touted as the marginal favourite ahead of Barega.

Although Kipruto’s pace dropped significantly on the next lap, he managed to extend his advantage to 17 seconds at the bell. There were no remarkable changes during the closing circuit and the Iten-based Kenyan romped home unopposed in 32:05 after another 6:17 split.

“Ideally, the race was hard considering the course was very muddy and cold weather condition,” said Kipruto, who is coached by Brother Colm O’Connell, the man who led David Rudisha to his Olympic 800m gold medal in London.

Kipruto now rains his guns at making the Kenya national cross country team and hopefully bag a World cross country title in Aarhus, Denmark in March.  

“I enjoyed the circuit. It was full of ups and downs. I will immediately start preparing for national on February 23 in Eldoret.”

He added: “I will be happy to make the Kenyan team and go ahead and win world title in Aarhus.

The women’s 7.6km event started at a moderate pace, led by world steeplechase record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech.

The Kenyan covered the opening 400m in 1:14 closely followed by Obiri, Chesang, Turkey’s Yasemin Can and Britain’s Lily Partridge, who was the first athlete to be dropped from the main pack.

It was before midway when Obiri moved to the front and began to push hard. The Commonwealth 5,000m champion soon opened a sizeable advantage on Chesang, Chepokoech and Can, who was never a factor and had already lost any podium chances by then.

Following a 6:48 final lap, Obiri comfortably crossed the finish line in 24:39 no fewer than 20 seconds ahead of Chesang while Chepkoech easily secured the third place on the podium.

“I knew I was in good shape after my 29:59 10km run in Madrid on December 31, but today’s a cross-country race and that’s different,” said Obiri.

“Fortunately I felt great throughout and managed the win.”