Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-02 03:45:00
The senior races at Saturday’s Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Gold Tour meeting at Eldoret’s Lobo Village will see new winners this year, as the defending champions Faith Kipyegon and Charles Lokir will both miss out for different reasons. Kipyegon, who won last year, has decided to focus on other engagements, while Lokir is unavailable after joining the Kenya Defence Forces’ Recruit Training School in Eldoret.
The meeting, which has attracted a large number of local and elite foreign athletes, will also serve as an opportunity for Athletics Kenya to select a team for the Africa Cross Country Championships in Tunis on February 5. Last year’s inaugural meeting was named after 2015 World Cross Country Championship winner Agnes Tirop, who was tragically murdered at her home in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, in 2021. The race’s name was later changed to Sirikwa Classic for last year’s edition.
Despite missing out on cross country running for an extended period, Kipyegon ran a dominant race last year, conquering the 10-kilometre circuit in 33 minutes and 55 seconds. She finished ahead of her training mate and 3,000 metres steeplechase Commonwealth Games champion Jackline Jepkoech, with Bahrain’s Roselida Jepketer completing the podium slots.
The women’s race on Saturday has attracted some top athletes, including Margaret Chelimo, Deborah Chemutai, Winnie Boinnet, and others. Some of the big names who will be competing in the absence of Lokir include World Athletics Championships’ 10,000m silver medalist Daniel Simiu, 2022 champion Samwel Chebolei, and more.
Athletics Kenya Central Rift Chairman Abraham Mutai noted that they are using the race to promote sports tourism in the region and have beefed up security at hotels and the venue.
Kennedy Tanui, the meet secretary, mentioned that the course is still “entertaining” despite some changes in barriers.
So far, 109 entries have been received for the six-kilometre junior women’s race, with the eight-kilometre junior men’s race attracting 115. The senior women’s category has registered 149 athletes, and the senior men’s category has 207 participants.
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