Chemweno it is as an upstart fells big names

World cross country sensation Gladys Chemweno beat a quality field to win the women’s senior race at the sixth leg of the Kenya Commercial Bank and Athletics Kenya series at the Eldoret Polytechnic on Saturday.

Chemweno thrilled the 4,000-strong crowd to post her third win in the series as former world junior 3,000 metres champion Gladys Kemboi breathed down her neck.

The two runners from the hilly Marakwet District have displayed brilliance at world junior events. They were neck and neck up to the seven-kilometre mark before the victor produced a scintillating sprint to stop the clock at 27 minutes 15.3 seconds.

Kemboi (27:20.4) and Ruth Matebo (28:29.8) were second and third, respectively, as newcomer Naomi Chepng’etich (28:33.8) came in fourth, ahead of World Youth 1,500m finalist Fancy Cherotich (28:54).

“The race was okay given the course is easy. I now need to do well at the national championships to win the [Sh1 million Athletics Kenya] jackpot. I believe I’ll make the team to World Cross Country Championships,” said Chemweno.

Kemboi, a mother of one, however said she was yet to recover from a hamstring injury that she picked up at the Berlin World Championships last year.

The men’s senior race had Bernard Koech, an upstart, upstage World Youth 3,000m silver medallist Stephen Kiprotich and John Mwangangi to win the title in 35:43.0.

The startlist featured Olympic 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop, Africa 1,500m king Haroun Keitany and world 3,000m steeplechase record holder Said Saif Shaheen of Qatar (formerly Stephen Cherono of Kenya). Kiprop and Shaheen faded half-way as Keitany finished in a distant 16th position.

Race favourite Japhet Korir won the men’s 8km race in 23:36.6 as his training mate David Bett (23:50.8) and Kaptagat-based runner Daniel Selel (23.59.6) followed in second and third positions, respectively.

Korir, fourth at last year’s World Cross in Amman, Jordan, said he would strive to lift the national title.

“I was in the national trials last year as a novice. But this time I bank on experience and I’ll work hard to stamp my authority in Poland,” he said.

Beat classy field

World Youth 1,500m champion Nelly Chebet beat a classy field that included pre-race favourite Alice Aprot and Commonwealth Youth Games 1,500m finalist Purity Cherotich to win the women’s 6km race in 20:36.3.

Janet Griza (20:37.5), upstart Janet Jepkemoi (20:41.3) and Cherotich (20:42.7) followed in that order as World Youth 2,000m silver medallist Lucia Muia and Aprot wound sixth and seventh, respectively.

“The victory has boosted my morale. After my fifth-place finish in Amman, I’ll now go for a gold medal before graduating to senior ranks,” said Chebet, a Form Four student at Riruta Central, Nairobi.