Foreign athletes give Eldoret meet international feel

A new tartan track, an international field…what more can you ask for as athletics “come home” for this weekend’s final Athletics Kenya track and field meet on the spanking new Kipchoge Keino Stadium’s tartan track.

The North Rift, Kenya’s athletics production line, the Mecca of distance running, will be awash with talent today with stars from across the border also trooping onto the newly-laid tartan for what promises to be an exciting two days of competition today and tomorrow.

Ugandan sprinters have crossed their border for speed tests against their perennial arch-rivals with usual suspect Agnes Aneno leading the way in the 400 metres.

Another Ugandan, Nalukanga Proscovia, will square it out with a quality line-up comprising former World 800 metres champion Janeth Jepkosgei, reigning two-lap World champion Eunice Sum and World 5,000 metres silver medallist Mercy Cherono, a former world cross country champion, in the star-studded women’s 1,500 meters.

Speaking to Nation Sport while feeling the soft Mondo tartan surface at the Kip Keino Stadium yesterday, Aneno, who also competed in the Thika, Nakuru and Kisii weekend meetings, bragged that she will be no push-over.

“I am set for the competition and I announce a big run here. It is Kenyan soil and so it will not be fun running here,” Aneno said.

The athlete, who has been specially adopted by Bidco Oils Limited as product ambassador, said it will be the third time for her to compete at the facility, but, of course, the first on the stadium’s new Mondo track.

“This is a familiar facility for me. I competed in 2010 when Uganda used to upset Kenyan runners in short races. This is where I picked up an injury, when the grounds were dusty and for the tartan…a stadium record is possible for me,” said an elated Aneno, who will line up in the 200 and 400 metres races.

Coach James William of Fame Athletics Club based in Jinja, tipped Aneno to give other athletes a close run.