Guns at the ready in Thika as KDF host their cross-country contest

Thika Barracks comes alive tomorrow morning when Kenya Defence Forces stage their 36th cross-country championships.

The KDF action will be used to pick their team to the national trials-cum-IAAF Permit meeting to be held at Uhuru Gardens.

The showpiece, which has over the years seen KDF athletes included in Team Kenya’s cross-country battalion, except in 2013 when no KDF runner was in the squad to the IAAF World Cross-Country Championships, will see various barracks parade their best talents.

Kahawa’s world half marathon champion Gladys Cherono and former Boston marathon winner Sharon Cherop of Armour Brigade will headline the stellar cast at the Thika Garrison event.

They will face former Olympics 1,500m champion Nancy Jebet Lagat (Moi Airbase) and Africa bronze medallist Jane Chelagat.

But they will need to be at their best to stop World Indoor 1,500m silver medalist Hellen Obiri of Laikipia Airbase and former World Youth 1,500m champion Sheila Chepkurui.

Former Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase bronze medallist Mercy Njoroge (MAB) and former world junior 3,000m champion Veronica Nyaruai (LAB) will spice up the line-up.

Perennial world cross-country runner Linet Chepkurui (MAB), former Rotterdam Marathon winner Jemima Chelagat, world cross-country runner Gladys Chemweno and former Boston Marathon winner Sharon Cherop will also offer a mouth-watering battle.

In the men’s front, Olympic 3,000m steeplechase bronze medalist Abel Mutai is expected to raise adrenaline to all time high.

But they will walk a tight rope against former Africa 1,500m silver medallist Gideon Gathimba, while competing for Laikipia Airbase (LAB), in the battle for bragging rights to the nationals.

Former Africa 800m bronze medalists Jackson Kivuva and defending champion Leonard Oloitiptip do not expect a soft landing as they square it out with a handful of newcomers. World half marathon sensation Kiplimo Kimutai is also in the mix.

Thika-based John Kipkoech Chepkwony, who posted a brilliant 12:45 in 5,000m last season, but bowed out in the semi-finals at the World Championships in Moscow, will lead the Engineers' onslaught.

Things might not work well with the presence of former Frankfurt marathon winner Mark Kiptoo of Laikipia Airbase when the 38-year-old runner sets his sights on cross-country silverware.

World cross-country bronze medalist Vincent Kiprop Chepkok and Peter Mateelong, the younger brother of former Commonwealth Games champion Richard Mateelong, are the other star attractions.

A new order was fashioned ahead of the 2013 and 2015 World cross-country after KDF runners, who had dominated the Kenyan cross-country running at the IAAF World Cross-Country Championships, failed to make the national team.

Five-time pair of John Ngugi and Paul Tergat; two-time winner William Sigei to 2010 winner Joseph Ebuya were erstwhile star performers for the soldiers.

Others were the late Some Muge, Thomas Nyariki and John Kibowen.