Young Masai carries Kenya's hopes

Linet Masai, 19, carries the hopes of a new generation that is seeking to reclaim the senior women’s 8km event that Kenya last won in 1994, Budapest, Hungary, through Helen Chepng'eno.

As tthe 2009 World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan on March 28 is fast approaching, the focus on who will carry the country’s baton has been narrowed down to just six athletes.

But Masai, the current World cross country bronze medallist, has been singled out by head coach Julius Kirwa to provide leadership in the charge for glory in Jordan. “I am experienced now, it will be my third consecutive cross country championships,” she said.

Speaking to the Daily Nation at the team’s training camp in Kigari, Embu, on Wednesday coach Kirwa said after watching the numerous races Masai had competed in, he was certain she had matured and would not crack under pressure.

“She stands out as a shining star. I am trying to build the team around her and let them battle the opposition as a team. Whoever wins the medal is not important to me now as long as it is Kenyan,” said Kirwa.

Had miscalculated

Masai stormed into the limelight in Mombasa in 2007, when she sprinted to the finish line in the junior 6km race to salvage Kenya’s title hopes after defending champion, Pauline Korikwiang, had miscalculated the number of laps and dropped out a lap early.

In Edinburgh, Masai (25:18), remained the only athlete in the Kenya team to brave the cold winter in the Scottish city and win an individual medal in the senior women’s race, finishing third behind winner Tirunesh Dibaba (25:10) and Mustawet Tufa (25:15). “I like running in cold conditions. I hope to weather the challenge and stage a better performance than what I had in Edinburgh,” she said.

Masai had a successful build-up programme in Europe since November and only returned to the country in February for the national trials where she was third behind winner Florence Kiplagat and Iness Chenonges. Lineth Chepkurui, Ann Karindi and Pauline Korikwiang are the other members of the team.

Extend her reign

In Jordan, it will be the second time Masai will be teaming up with Korikwiang for national duty. Korikwiang, whose only victory in this event was in Fukuoka, Japan in 2006, will be making a return to Asia and hopes to be successful. She’ll also be seeking to exorcise the ghosts that ruined her party in Mombasa two years ago.

“This team for the first time will be worth watching and I will be disappointed if they don’t secure the overall and individual titles,” said head Kirwa. The coach noted that, all the six athletes are hitting the peak and it would be a good combination for them to wear out their rivals.

“No one is far from the other. When we train for speed, they are all close together. When it comes to endurance training, they are always cobbled up together such that there are no gaps that would expose them to the enemy,” he said.

With four to score from the total six that will be entered, Kenya’s will be seeking to extend its reign in the sport to another 25 title in the event’s 37 year history. But Kirwa cautioned that it would be wrong for them to focus on Ethiopia as their lone enemy.

“In Mombasa, we were all looking at the Ethiopians, then Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands emerged and dominated the race. It should be noted that all teams enter the event to win and no athlete will be in Jordan on holiday,” he said.