Cherono sets eyes on World Athletics Championship

By James Waindi

Two times world junior 3,000m champion and recently crowned Africa 8km Cross Country champion Mercy Cherono has set her eyes on track competition and is eyeing a slot in the Kenyan team to World Athletics Championship in Daeugu, Korea later this year.

Cherono, who also won the 6km race at the World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, last year said, she was disappointed for not being in the team to this year’s World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain.

Cherono won the 8km women’s race at the continental event to add another gem to her illustrious career after clocking 27:13, despite finishing the national trials in a disappointing 13th position.

In South Africa, she edged out Viola Kibiwott 27:14 and Dorris Chengeiywo 27:22.

From left John Mwangagi, Mercy Cherono, Caroline Chepkoech and Stephen Kiprotich display their gold medals at JKIA upon arrival from South Africa Wednesday. [PHOTO:STAFFORD ONDEGO/STANDARD]

"I wish had made it to the national team for the World Cross Country Championships in Spain. During the national trials, I performed poorly because I was making a debut in the 8km race and I underestimated the race. But after training for the race in Ngong, I finally got my touch and that is why I won in South Africa," said Cherono after the team returned to the country yesterday to a warm reception.

She added: "I’m now focused on qualifying for the World Athletics Champions in Daeugu, Korea in the 5,000m and I’m going to embark on serious training to improve on my personal best time of 14:47 before the trials."

Kenya swept all the medals on offer in the inaugural Africa cross country championship, taking first four slots in all the four races.

Relax stance

Team captain John Nzau Mwangangi, who reigned supreme in the 12km race clocking 35:31, appealed to Athletics Kenya officials to relax their stance on the continental participants and accommodate some of them to the World Cross Country Championships team which is expected to leave the country next week to Spain.

Mwangangi, who won silver in the 5,000m during the 2009 Africa Junior Championships in Mauritius said, he had the capacity of turning his continental performance to the global stage if given the chance.

He said Kenyans deserved the feat in South Africa as competition was just between the Kenyans.

"I can’t say the success was a piece of cake. The competition was very tough among Kenyans, in fact in my race, we were in the same pack with Steve Kiprotich, Henry Chirchir and Philip Kiprono until the last 500m where my finishing kick helped me," he said.

Stephen Kiprotich 35:34 and Henry Chirchir 35:35 settled for silver and bronze.

In the junior women 6km race, Caroline Chepkoech sent a message to her elder sister Mercy Cherono, when she bagged gold in 19:59 with Mary Mananu taking silver in 20:00, while bronze went to Zipporah Wanjiru in 20:05.

World cross country bronze medallist in the junior men’s 8km race, Japheth Korir, made amends after he failed to make it to the Kenya team to Spain when he won gold in his speciality after clocking 23:03 with Patrick Muaka 23:04 and Nicholas Togom 23:18 picking silver and bronze.

Ministry of Sports Permanent Secretary James Waweru, Sports Secretary Wilson Langat and Athletics Kenya senior officials received the team.