Chebet, Kipkorir win season-opening races
What you need to know:
- Meeting held in memory of former Athletics Kenya president who died from cancer last year.
- Kiplagat Memorial races in Ndalat kick off 2017-18 cross country calendar.
The national cross country season started in explosive fashion on Saturday when Nicholas Kipkorir and Sandra Chebet clinched the senior titles in star-studded fields at the annual Safaricom-sponsored Isaiah Kiplagat Memorial Ndalat Gaa Cross Country Championships in Nandi County.
They won races over 10 and eight kilometres, respectively.
The annual meeting attracted over 3,000 athletes and maintained its tradition on unearthing fresh distance running prospects. Chebet was in a group of 10 athletes in the lead but after the first three laps of the two-kilometre loop, she increased her pace and led to the tape clocking 28 minutes, 7.6 seconds.
Fresh from winning Safaricom’s 10km road race in Kericho last week, Chebet, who is based at the Londiani Camp in Kericho County, said she had trained well but didn’t expect to win. “I’m happy to have won the race although I didn’t expect it. I had done enough training because this is my first cross country race,” said Chebet.
She noted that she will gun for a place in the Kenyan team for next March’s Africa Cross Country Championships.
Everline Cherono was second in 28:31.0 with Pascalia Jepkorir (28:40.3) third.
In the men’s race, Kaptagat-based Kipkorir led a tactical battle, increasing pace in the last few kilometres before winning clocking 31:05.6.
“I’m happy that I won today and it’s because I have always been inspired by world cross country champion Geoffrey Kamworor with whom I train in Kaptagat,” said Kipkorir.
Leading results from the Ndalat Gaa Cross Country:
6km junior women:
1. Miriam Cherop 21:23.7
2. Beatrice Chebet 21:27.0
3. Agnes Ngenyi 21:29.0
4. Edna Jebitok 21:39.6
5. Roselida Chepketer 21:40.4
8km junior men:
1. Rhonex Kipruto 24:34.9
2. Vincet Kiprotich 24:35.6
3. Edward Zakayo 24:39.3
4. Robert Kiprop 25:10.4
5. Kiprono Sitienei 25:12.6
8km senior women:
1. Sandra Chebet 28:07.6
2. Everline Cherono 28:31.0
3. Pascalia Jepkorir 28:40.3
4. Emmy Chepkurui 28:58.6
5. Bornes Chepkurui 29:04.5
10km senior men:
1. Nicholas Kipkorir 31:05.6
2. Noah Kipkemboi 31:10.0
3. Emmanuel Bor 31:14.4
4. Bernard Kipkemei 31:20.0
5. Mathew Kisorio 31:23.8
