Ndiku and Kaveke main attraction in Machakos

Kenya's Jonathan Ndiku wins the final of the men's 3000m steeplechase athletics event at Hampden Park during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland on August 1, 2014. [AFP PHOTO]

Former Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Jonathan Ndiku and 2018 World Half Marathon bronze medalist Pauline Kaveke will lead top athletes at the county cross country championships at Machakos People’s Park Grounds tomorrow.

Alex Mutiso and Patrick Mwaka will also line up in men’s 10km race in the chase for slots to Southern region cross country championships set for Machakos next weekend.

Philip Makau, a former athlete and now event coordinator, said the competition will start at 8am.

He said the contests seeks to tap talents in the region often regarded as the second home of Kenya’s world beating athletes after Rift Valley.

It will feature men’s and women’s senior races, junior races, five kilometres boys’ and girls’ (14-16 years) races and two kilometres mixed relay race. It’s an open event and registration is free.

In Busia County, Joseph Okumu will lead other runners in men’s 10km senior race at the county cross country Championships in the county Stadium this morning.

Okumu won last year and settled for second spot at the regional championships.

Okumu qualified for national cross championships where he finished eighth. He hopes for better performance this season.

Other races on the card will be 8km senior women, 6km junior men, 6km junior women and mixed relay.

Athletics Kenya (AK) Busia County first vice chairperson Anne Otiti said the county will fashion a good team that will be a force to reckon with at the regional event in Kapsokwony in Mt Elgon next week.