Koech, Kiplangat for Nairobi X-country

Athletes battle it out during the University of Eldoret Cross Country, 8km junior men’s race on October 19, 2013. World 5,000m bronze medallist Isaiah Koech Kiplangat and World Half Marathon silver medallist Mercy Wacera will highlight the Nairobi County Cross Country meeting on November 1, 2014 at the Posta grounds along Ngong Road. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • Kiplangat should brace for a battle from, among others, Emmanuel Bett, who is eying a swift graduation to senior level after finishing second in junior race last year.\
  • The first two events in the Series, the Nairobi and Kapsokwony legs, will be sponsored by Athletics Kenya but the next four events that have been graded as Premium races have full sponsorship from, among others, Kenya Commercial Bank.

World 5,000m bronze medallist Isaiah Koech Kiplangat and World Half Marathon silver medallist Mercy Wacera will highlight the Nairobi County Cross Country meeting on Saturday at the Posta grounds along Ngong Road.

Kiplangat, who won silver medal in 5,000m at the Commonwealth Games and Africa Championships, will be hoping to open his season in style with victory in men’s 12km race.

However, Kiplangat should brace for a battle from, among others, Emmanuel Bett, who is eying a swift graduation to senior level after finishing second in junior race last year.

The 2008 World Junior 10,000m champion Josphat Bett is also an athlete to watch in the championship that gets underway at 8.30am.

Alfred Lorot, who finished second in junior race at the Africa Cross Country Championships in Kampala in March, this year, is the man to beat in junior men’s 8km race.

Last year, little-known Silas Kimutai and the 2006 World Junior 5,000m silver medallist Mary Wacera reigned won the senior men and women’s races.

TOP RUNNERS
Wacera has continued to establish herself as one of the top road runners since her victory last year. She won the World’s Best 10K early this year, defeating Gladys Cherono, Linet Masai and 2013 champion Joyce Chepkirui.

She would then settle for silver after losing the battle to Gladys Cherono at the World Half Marathon in March in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The 2013 World Cross Country junior women’s silver medallist, Agnes Jebet, swept to victory in a gun-to-tape performance in the junior women’s 6km race while Nyahururu’s James Mwangi waited until the last 400m before bursting from a pack of four to claim the junior men’s 8km title.

However, Jebet will not defend her title since she is sitting her Form Four examinations.

PREMIER RACES

The first two events in the Series, the Nairobi and Kapsokwony legs, will be sponsored by Athletics Kenya but the next four events that have been graded as Premium races have full sponsorship from, among others, Kenya Commercial Bank.

Meet director Barnaba Korir said Nairobi is ready to welcome athletes from various parts of the country and is determined to put up a good showing.

The route will be demanding and going by the current weather in Nairobi, hard and hot, according to technical director John Mwithiga who also doubles up as one of the national cross country coaches since 2005.