Conseslus Kipruto leads elite cast to Ndalat Gaa Cross Country

Olympics 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto hopes to end his season in style with maiden victory at the Safaricom Ndalat Gaa Kids Cross Country on October 15 at Ndalat Gaa Girls High School grounds.

Kipruto is among an array of Kenyan stars set grace the men’s 10km and women’s 8km races of the championship that has 18 categories.

The race will from next year be renamed in honour of the founder, former Athletics Kenya president Isaiah Kiplagat who passed on in August this year.

The race’s Local Organising Committee chairman Abraham Mutai said besides Kipruto, World 1,500m champion Asbel Kipruto, Paris Marathon champion Cyprian Kotut, World 3,000m Indoor bronze medallist Augustine Kipchoge and 2015 Diamond League 3,000m steeplechase champion Jairus Birech will battle out for top honours.

World Cross Country champion Agnes Jebet will be out to try and reclaim her senior women’s title she won in 2014.

Jebet will take on, among others, defending champion Caroline Chepkoech and former champions Priscah Jeptoo and 2012 Africa Cross Country champion Joyce Chepkirui.

Of special interest too will be the Olympic 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot, who also won silver in 10,000m at the Rio Olympics.

Kipruto, who was unveiled on Wednesday as this year’s race ambassador at Riadha House in Nairobi, said he is ready for the showdown.

Kipruto, who was accompanied by Mutai, Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei and Nandi County deputy governor Dominic Biwott, received sponsorship cheques from several companies.

Title sponsors Safaricom gave Sh2million, Nandi County Government Sh1.7million, New KCC Sh300,000 while Skyward gave return air tickets for the winners.

Proceeds from the sponsorship will be shared with Nandi-based Kimbilio Hospice, a facility that cares for a cancer and HIV-Aids patients among other terminal illnesses. Sh2million has been set aside as prize money.

“I am excited to be making my seventh appearance at the race and I hope to win this time. It will be a good end to what I can say is the most successful season for me,” said Kipruto, who finished fourth on his first appearance at Ndalat Gaa in 2010 though his best show was a second place finish in 2011. “I ran my first cross country race at Ndalat Gaa.”

After claiming his maiden Olympic 3,000m steeplechase title in Rio in August, Kipruto recaptured the Diamond League Trophy in September in Brussels.

“I will take a rest after Ndalat Gaa then focus on World Championships next year and perhaps a shot at the World Record either in Eugene or Oslo,” said Kipruto, who won silver medals at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships.

Kipruto boasts of a personal best of 8:00.12 while the World Record stands at 7:53.63.