Mwangangi, Mwikali top Prisons meet

• John profits from Kibet’s absence to claim honours at championships

In the battle of the East and West, the former came out top as John Mwangangi chalked up his third victory of the season in four attempts while Jane Mwikali won in the women’s race at the Kenya Prisons Cross Country Championship in Ruiru.

With the inmates locked away in seclusion, the warders and wardresses folded their sleeves up in a battle for bragging rights for their respective commands.

A slot in the Prisons team to the National Championship, where a winner will get cash reward from the department boss, was the reason each confronted the other with a clenched fist.

In the end, it was Mwangangi who confirmed his stature as the new king in the absence of former World marathon champion Luke Kibet who is nursing an Achille’s tendon.

Mwangangi, who won in Machakos, Kapsokwony and took bronze in Eldoret rounds of the KCB cross country circuit, triumphed among his colleagues at work timed at 37:13.

Had prepared well

Silas Kiplagat hung on strongly to make it to the second slot in 37:30 while Fredrick Musyoki, winner of Embu meeting in December, came in third in 37:51 in a race staged at the Kenya Prisons Cross Country Championship in Ruiru.

“My aim now is to get the jackpot and a place in the national team at the trials. Today, I would have beaten anyone since I had prepared well. I wanted to beat Luke Kibet, since he beat me last year but he was out with injury.”

“I have been keeping my body fit and skipping some AK meetings to give myself enough time to recover. I don’t think running in three meetings ahead of the trials will affect me. I have to train harder since the trials will be difficult.” said Mwangangi.

But deep down, when the prisons coaches are all alone seated by the fire with a glass of their favourite red in hand, they must wonder if their team, which weighed low in team work and tactics, will rule the roost at the national championships or they will provide the scalp for other rival teams.

Edged out rivals

In Mwangangi, the current leader in the Athletics Kenya Sh1 million jackpot hunt in the senior men 12km race, Prisons have a tough athlete, but the gap with his colleagues is widening by the day.

Athletes like Bernard Rotich who came fourth in 37:58, Wachira Maina 38:05 and Thomas Longosiwa sixth in 38:06 must labour hard to improve on their pace. So are Cosmas Kyeva 38:07 and Joanthan Kosgei 38:11.

In the women 8km race, Jane Mwikali was droned as the new queen after she edged out her rivals including two time world marathon champion Catherine Ndereba, New York marathon champion Margaret Okayo and Susan Chepkemei.

Mwikali stole the limelight as she stopped the clock in 28:29 leaving Caroline Kwambai and Pauline Wangui to battle for the runners-up positions.