Bedan Karoki out to reclaim National Cross Country title
What you need to know:
- Karoki had earlier indicated that he will not compete at the National Cross event.
- Karoki will be donning new team colours, having joined the National Police Service a few days ago from Central Region.
World Half Marathon silver medallist Bedan Karoki will be seeking reclaim his National Cross Country title on Saturday at the Uhuru Gardens.
Karoki, who is fresh from winning at Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Half Marathon in United Arab Emirates on Friday in a personal best of 59 minutes and 19 seconds, had earlier indicated that he will not compete at the National Cross event.
The 26-year-old had opted to compete at RAK before shifting his attention to his marathon debut in London on April 23.
At the National Cross Country showdown, Karoki will be donning new team colours, having joined the National Police Service a few days ago from Central Region.
“I have joined Kenya Police and I will represent them at the National Cross,” said Karoki, who will be seeking his fourth national title after his exploits in 2012, 2014 and 2015.
Karoki, who retained his Discovery Cross Country title on January 29, now forms a strong Police team that has the defending champion Geoffrey Kamworor, who will be competing for the first time since the Rio Olympic Games and Police Cross champion Augustine Choge among others.
“I just want to give my fans some action. It is part of my preparations ahead of London Marathon,” said Karoki.
Kamworor, who is also the World Cross Country and World Half Marathon champion, wrestled the national title from Karoki last year but both opted out from Team Kenya for the Africa Cross Country Championships held in Yaoundé Cameroon.
That left James Rungaru with the honours to represent the country, where he won the title for Kenya.
Choge, who was competing in his third half marathon at RAK, returned third also in a personal best of 59:26 behind Karoki and Ethiopian Yigrem Demelash in 59:19.
