Stage set for Kiplagat memorial race at Ndalat

Former Athletics Kenya President Isaiah Kiplagat speaks during the Ndalat Gaa Cross Country Championships in Nandi County on October 11, 2014. The race has been renamed in memory of Kiplagat who died last year. This year’s edition will be run ton October 14, 2017. PHOTO | FILE |

What you need to know:

  • The championship, which marks the start of the national cross country series, has attracted some big names.
  • There will be eight race categories — from young children’s races to veterans’ races.

Over 3,000 athletes and 25,000 spectators are expected to jam-pack Saturday’s Isaiah Kiplagat Memorial Ndalat Gaa Cross Country Championships in Ndalat, Nandi County.

The championship, which marks the start of the national cross country series, has attracted some big names.

The annual meet was renamed in honour of its founder, the late former Athletics Kenya President Isaiah Kiplagat, who died last year.

“My father’s dream was not just to create and nurture young talent and breed world beaters, but also to show the importance and love for athletics as part of the Kenyan heritage,” his daughter Judy Kiplagat said on Saturday.

This year’s theme will be “Running for cancer awareness” in memory of the founder who was a victim of cancer.

“I’m proud to see that the late Kiplagat achieved his core objective as most of the athletes who started their running careers at the event are now accomplished runners who have made our country proud,” said Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, who is an ambassador of the championship.

“If it were not for visionaries like him, and without the support of corporates like Safaricom, I would not have made it this far in my career,” added Kipchoge, who won the Berlin Marathon last month.

There will be eight race categories — from young children’s races to veterans’ races. The meet will also see world beaters like Olympic and world champion in 3,000 metres steeplechase Conseslus Kipruto, former 1,500m world champion Asbel Kiprop, world half record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei, among others, test their form.

“Many athletes use the race to start their cross country season and as you know, next year there will be Africa Cross Country Championships and a team has to be selected by Athletics Kenya,” Local Organising Committee secretary Kennedy Tanui said.

Former London Marathon champion Prisca Jeptoo, former World Cross Country Championships gold medallist Joseph Ebuya and current world cross country champion Geoffrey Kamworor are among the athletes who started their running careers at Ndalat.