David Bett is back with a bang

Keringet-based David Bett, the youngster who won gold in men’s 5,000 metres at 2010 World Junior Championships in Canada as Kenya claimed the overall title in the Under-20 event, is back.

The 25-year-old, who is also the 2009 World Youth 3,000m silver medallist, made a strong return from a recurring knee injury to win the men’s 10km race in the first leg of Athletics Kenya Cross Country series yesterday at Posta grounds in Ngong, Nairobi.

The dominant Bett took over the lead with just 4km gone before destroying the rich field and the muddy course to win in 29 minutes and 11.9 seconds.

Bett, who was making his first show in Nairobi cross country, beat Peter Mateelong from Nanyuki Barracks to second place in 29:29.8 as Peter Njoroge came in third a second later.

Mateelong, a fourth place finisher at Ndakaini Half Marathon, is the young brother to the 2009 World 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist Richard Mateelong, who is also the 2010 Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase gold medallist.

“It feels great to make a comeback after recovering from a recurring knee injury that has disturbed me since 2015,” said Bett, whose ultimate dream is to represent Kenya at the Africa Cross Country Championships and Commonwealth Games due in March and April respectively.

“I took off early since I didn’t want to take any chance with the muddy course.”
Fresh from winning the Isaiah Kiplagat Memorial Cross Country in Ndalat Gaa, Sandrafelis Chebet, the 2015 World Youth 2,000 steeplechase silver medallist commanded the last kilometre to retain the women’s 10km race title in 32:53.2.

Chebet again beat her Londiani club mate and World Cross Country bronze medallist Lilian Kasait to second place in 33:14.9. The 2016 Africa Cross Country junior silver medallist Gloria Kite settled for third in 34:01.7.

“I have now scaled up to senior level and know what needs to be done. I have been doing long distance training to improve on my endurance as I target a place in the Africa Cross Country Championships and Commonwealth Games teams,” said Chebet.

“I lost to a worthy rival. The course was tough owing to the muddy conditions,” said Kasait.

“I am still happy after a bad show in Ndalat Gaa where I finished eighth.”

Kiprono Sitonik from Bomet led from the start to finish, winning men’s Under-20 8km race in 23:35.5. It was a great improvement for Sitonik, who is handled by John Kimetto. He finished 13th in the same race last year.

Keringet’s Nicholas Chelule, who was placed second for the better part of the race, wilted in the last kilometre, losing to teammate Silas Kiprono. Kiprono clocked 23:48.8 while Chelule crossed the line in 23:57.1.

Beatrice Chebet from Londiani won girls’ Under-20 race in 20:01.9 followed by Agnes Nakali 20:10.9 and Janet Chepkoech 20:17.6.