Kenyans yearn for the senior men’s 12km title in Poland

By Mutwiri Mutuota

As the national team for the Bydgoszcz World Cross departed amid fanfare, the question remains whether they will receive the same reception upon their return from Poland on Monday.

The squad led by David Letting, in his first outing as head coach, listened as speaker after speaker implored them to bring back distance running glory as sponsors Kenya Commercial Bank hosted them to a grand dinner at a five-star Nairobi Hotel on Tuesday night.

Among those who pricked their collective conscience the most was five-time World Cross senior men’s champion, Paul Tergat.

Since 1999 when he won his last long race individual gold in Belfast, Northern Ireland, no runner clad in the famed green, black and red strip has commanded the heights.

In the intervening period, Belgian Mohammed Mourhit (2000-2001), Ethiopian maestro, Kenenisa Bekele (2002-2006 and 2008), Eritrean Zerseney Tadese (2007) and Kenenisa’s compatriot, Gebregzhiabher Gebremariam (last year) have locked out Kenyans from the Holy Grail of World Cross running.

"This team is capable of bringing the senior title. All teams we have been taking to the World Cross have been capable of doing the same, but lack of team effort, especially at the closing stages of the race have denied us the title," Tergat told the departing class of 2010. Since 2000 when he won bronze, the former world marathon record holder has been watching desolate as successive teams fail to take up the baton from his great legs.

Permanent fixture

Since 2006 when he won silver in the men junior 6km race, Leonard Komon has been a permanent fixture in Kenya’s World Cross teams, embodying the spirit Tergat and his compeer five-time senior title winner, John Ngugi (1986-1989/1992) were renowned.

"Being in this team for that long has encouraged me so much. Last year, I had a problem and Athletics Kenya (AK) gave me a wildcard.

"It’s not easy to compete at the World Cross and it requires one to start preparing for the season earlier when most runners are resting," he said.

"My consistency in World Cross is a result of the training I undergo which is hard and disciplined. I have been talking to my team mates and sharing my experiences with them on how we can do well, how important it is for us to run as a team, something that has not been happening lately," Komon told FeverPitch before departure for Poland.

"We have also lost the junior titles for two years in a row which is not good for us. We have been talking to them to work hard and recover them. I have seen the way they have been training and I’m confident they will do well," he added.

Komon’s record at World Cross is: 2006 (silver junior), 2007 (fourth junior), 2008 (senior silver) and 2009 (fourth senior).