Road to Amman begins as Kenya’s finest go to camp

• No time to waste as national squad to world cross meet starts preparations

It was also a major comeback for winners of men and women senior races. Moses Mosop and Florence Kiplagat have returned from a long injury lay off and restored their dominance.

And so is Lineth Chepkurui of the Armed Forces.

Commonwealth Youth Games 5,000m bronze medallist Japhet Korir will get his second trip abroad after his debut in Pune, India, with the junior men 8km so will be Paul Tanui and John Kemboi.

Tanui, 19, banished from last year’s team to Edinburgh because he had no experience in using shoes, was a new revelation giving the head coach no chance of dropping him. A first year student at the Keroka Technical Training Institute in Kisii, he is determined to silence his critics.

“Previously the shoes made me feel uncomfortable. That is why the coach asked me to go home,” he said.

That inspired him to change tact and Tanui has since been running using shoes. One year down the line, he has perfected it and taken the battle to his opponents. He was third in Machakos and fourth in Meru Athletics Kenya weekend meetings. But now he hit the jackpot and will be headed to Amman.

“I knew I had the energy and form to carry me through. It is good to make the team. I will train hard to make sure I succeed in Amman,” he said.