Kenya will pack a punch in World Cross Country Championships

There is no doubt whatsoever that Kenya has one of the strongest teams ever for the 2017 World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda on March 26, after last Saturday’s national trials.

It’s long since I saw the kind of determination exhibited last weekend as athletes sought to make the cut for the Uganda show. For many, It didn’t matter the two world champions Geoffrey Kamworor (senior men) and Agnes Tirop (senior women) were in their midst.

While the crowd’s focus seemed to have been trailed on Kamworor in the men’s category and Tirop alongside Africa cross country champion Alice Aprot in the women’s race; surprises were in the offing.

Japan-based Leonard Barsoton trailed Kamworor and world marathon silver medallist Bedan Karoki all the way before unleashing the deciding kick that floored both of them as he strolled to the top honours.

In the women’s race, the script was no different as Irene Cheptai and Lilian Kasait extended their rivalry from the recent Discovery Kenya cross country championships to the national championships in Nairobi.

For them, nothing mattered— and not even the presence of Tirop, Aprot, Olympics 1,500m champion Faith Chepng'etich and world 3,000m steeplechase champion, Hyvin Kiyeng could steal the limelight from them. The last lap was the most interesting as they engaged each other in a sprint before Cheptai prevailed.

Similar competition was exhibited in the junior women race, where Sandrafelis Chebet beat her long time rival Cellephine Chepteek and Sheila Chelangat to second and third places respectively. The junior men’s race was quite unpredictable with Richard Yator carrying the day ahead of Meshack Kyuguti and Wesley Ladema.

My wish now is to see the same kind of competition being exhibited in the neighbouring Uganda come next month. I am sure Kigari Teachers Training College in Embu, where athletes were to report Wednesday for residential training, will provide the kind of atmosphere needed to take on the world in Uganda.

WILL NOT BE EASY

We all know that the Kenyan trials are tougher the World Cross Country Championships and we should take advantage of this and rule Uganda.

However, be warned, It wont be that easy.

The Kampala show will be a competition against our rivals —Ethiopia and Uganda—and things will have to be done differently.

We must realise that the rest of the world has not only been preparing for the global show but Kenyans in particular. A country would be lying if they said that they had prepared for the event without having Kenyans on their minds.