John Mwangangi and Thomas Longosiwa for Prisons race
John Mwangangi on his way to winning the 10,000m race during the Athletics Kenya final Weekend Meet at Kasarani on May 4, 2013. Mr Mwangangi returned to a hero’s welcome on Saturday, November 21, 2015 after he posted one of the fasted times this season of 2:6.13 a week ago to win the Valencia City Marathon. FILE PHOTO |
What you need to know:
- Experienced duo will star in Kenya Prisons Cross Country Championships at the Uhuru Gardens.
- It’s a quality field for Saturday's duel.
The 2011 Africa Cross-country champion, John Mwangangi, and 2012 London Olympics 5,000m bronze medallist, Thomas Longosiwa, will be the star attractions at the Kenya Prisons Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Uhuru Gardens.
Mwangangi, who is also the 2012 World Half Marathon bronze medallist, is back at the Prisons event to reclaim the title he last won in 2010.
But Mwangangi faces stiff competition from Longosiwa who has declared interest in competing at the World Cross-country Championships, 2014 champion Fredrick Musyoki and 2012 and 2013 winner Timothy Kiptoo.
Kiptoo captained Kenya at the 2013 World Cross-country Championships in Poland, where the country won three individual and three team titles.
After playing second fiddle to seasoned athletes for eight years, Musyoki finally had his day in the sun, winning the senior men’s race at the Uhuru Gardens last year.
There was also a new winner in women’s 8km race after Cynthia Cherotich hit the front halfway into the race to win in 27min,12.3sec, beating Nancy Nzisa (27:26) and Grace Kimanzi (27:43.7).
“This being the World Championships year, many athletes have come up to express their interests and we should expect an explosive race,” said coach Steven Mwaniki.
Also joining the men’s field are Charles Cheruiyot who represented Kenya in 10,000m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2011 World 1,500m silver medallist Silas Kiplagat and Solomon Barng’etuny. Cheruiyot finished fifth in personal best 27:59.91 at the Commonwealth Games.
Cherotich is back to defend her women’s title but faces a quality field that has in 2013 winner Eunice Kioko and Jane Mwikali, who is eying to recapture the crown she won last in 2010.
Others is the race are Nancy Nzisa who represent Kenya in the junior race at the 2014 Africa Championships and World relays 4x800m silver medallist Sylvia Chesebe.
Former world marathon champion Catherine Ndereba will also hit the track alongside season runners like Jane Murage and Eunice Mumbua.
Mwaniki said they will select a strong squad from the event that will involve 10 regions for the national championships due February 14 at Uhuru Gardens.
