AK changes team to continental championships due to withdrawals
What you need to know:
- The 2013 national champion Philemon Rono of Kenya Police, AK Machakos leg cross country winner Stephen Arita and Nicodemus Kipkurgat have been included in the national team that reported to residential training on Wednesday at the Kigari Teachers Training College in Embu.
- The three have been drafted to replace Geoffrey Kamworor, Bedan Karoki and Leonard Barsoton who scooped the podium places in the men’s 10km race during the National Cross Country championships on Saturday at Uhuru Gardens.
- Kamworor and Karoki requested to be considered for the World Half Marathon Championships planned for March 26 in Cardiff, Wales.
- Barsoton, a 2013 Word Cross Country junior silver medallist who claimed fifth place as a senior at the 2015 World Cross Country championships, has other engagements.
Withdrawals have forced Athletics Kenya (AK) to effect changes to the national team for the Africa Cross Country Championships scheduled for March 12, this year in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
The 2013 national champion Philemon Rono of Kenya Police, AK Machakos leg cross country winner Stephen Arita and Nicodemus Kipkurgat have been included in the national team that reported to residential training on Wednesday at the Kigari Teachers Training College in Embu.
The three have been drafted to replace Geoffrey Kamworor, Bedan Karoki and Leonard Barsoton who scooped the podium places in the men’s 10km race during the National Cross Country championships on Saturday at Uhuru Gardens.
WORLD HALF MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS
Kamworor and Karoki, who staged a 1-2 performance at the World Cross Country Championships last year, and Barsoton, who is the reigning Africa Cross champion, requested to be exempted from the continental event.
Instead, Kamworor and Karoki requested to be considered for the World Half Marathon Championships planned for March 26 in Cardiff, Wales.
Barsoton, a 2013 Word Cross Country junior silver medallist who claimed fifth place as a senior at the 2015 World Cross Country championships, has other engagements.
Others in the team of eight are Cleophas Ngetich, who won the Embu and Nyahururu legs of AK Series, the 2014 Marrakech 10km race winner Charles Mneria, 2015 World Cross Country championships 12th place finisher Philip Langat, James Rugari and Geoffrey Koech.
WOMEN'S TEAM
Experienced Janet Kisa, World 3,000m steeplechase champion Hyvin Kiyeng and African Games 5,000m champion Margaret Chelimo, who finished fifth, sixth and 12th to make the team have been replaced in women’s 10km race.
Nancy Nzisa, Kenya Prisons Cross Country winner Pauline Kaveke and Monica Ngigi, who were placed eighth, ninth and 10th respectively at the National Cross Country championships are the new inclusions for Yaoundé.
No changes have been made to the men's 8km and women’s 6km teams as the top eight finishers at the national championships make the team to Yaoundé.
World Youth 3,000m silver medallist Emily Chebet, got a wild card and was included in the team. Chebet finished 10th in her race.
However, only six athletes will make the final team in each category where four will score.
“We are confident the team will be able to retain all the individual and team titles in Yaoundé,” said AK president Jack Tuwei.
“We have less than a month and we must set things rolling in camp.”
Meanwhile, AK Track and Field Championships that start on Friday in Bondo will run along with the Relay Series. Initially, they were held separately.
