Visa hitch locks out three Kenyan juniors from World Cross Country event
Nancy Cherop shows off her three gold medals won in girls' Under-18 800m 1,500m and 3,000m during the Africa Athletics Under-18 and Under-20 Championships in Ndola, Zambia.
What you need to know:
- Diana Chepkemoi, Nancy Cherop, and Gideon Kipng’etich, who are aged 17, were left behind after the Serbian Embassy in Nairobi failed to clear them
- AK director in charge of youth and development, Barnaba Korir said that the embassy has not issued an explanation as to why they failed to issue the youngsters with traveling visas
- It now leaves the national trials winner Sheila Jebet, Deborah Chemutai, Mercy Chepkemoi and Diana Cherotich to do the battle for Kenya in women’s under-20 6km race
Three juniors have failed to link up with Team Kenya for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships scheduled for Saturday in Belgrade, Serbia.
Diana Chepkemoi, Nancy Cherop, and Gideon Kipng’etich, who are aged 17, were left behind after the Serbian Embassy in Nairobi failed to clear them.
Athletics Kenya (AK) director in charge of youth and development, Barnaba Korir said that the embassy has not issued an explanation as to why they failed to issue the youngsters with traveling visas.
“It has been a big problem especially to countries that applied their visas from the Serbian Embassy in Nairobi as most had not been issued by Wednesday evening,” said Korir, who singled out Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania.
“We approached our ministry of foreign affairs to intervene but all was in vain,” said Korir as the remaining officials, AK treasurer, David Miano and Team Kenya matron, Jane Torotich, finally departed on Thursday after securing their visas.
Chepkemoi was in Team Kenya for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships last year in Bathurst, Australia where she finished eighth in the women's under-20 6km race.
Cherop won bronze in 3,000m for Kenya during the 2022 world under-20 championship in Cali, Colombia.
Cherop was also the talk of the town when she claimed three gold medals in 800, 1,500m and 3,000m in under-18 category during the African Athletics Under-20 and Under-18 Championships held in Ndola, Zambia last year.
Cherop went on to win gold in 1,500m and 3,000m at the Commonwealth Youth Games held in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago last year.
It now leaves the national trials winner Sheila Jebet, Deborah Chemutai, Mercy Chepkemoi and Diana Cherotich to do the battle for Kenya in women’s under-20 6km race.
The country is yet to win the category since Beatrice Chebet’s exploits in 2019 Aarhus, Denmark.
Kipng’etich won the men's under-20 8km race when he represented Kenya for the first time at the 6th African Cross Country Championships in Hammamet, Tunisia last month.
Fresh from the continental exploits, Kipng’etich finished sixth during the national trials to seal his place in Team Kenya. Samuel Kibathi, Charles Rotich, Mathew Kipkoech Kipruto, Johana Erot and Shadrack Rono will now fly the country’s fly in the men’s under-20 8km event.
