Kimutai, Wacera labour to win as season begins

Little-known Silas Kimutai and 2006 World Junior 5,000m silver medallist, Mary Wacera, won the senior men and women’s races in the opening leg of the KCB/Athletics Kenya Cross-country Series in Nairobi on Saturday.

This year’s World Cross-country junior women’s silver medallist Agnes Chebet of Nairobi led from gun to tape to win junior women’s 6km race. 

But Nyahururu’s James Mwangi waited until the last 400m before breaking from a pack of four to win junior men’s 8km race.

The 26-year-old Kimutai, who trains in Ngong, stayed behind a group of seven to slice his way up with three kilometres to go and held on to win men’s 12km race in 34 minutes and 52.0 seconds.

The father of three, who is an officer at Kenya Wildlife Service, left Nanyuki’s Peter Mateelong, 24, pacing up for second place in 34:53.0 as Fredrick Musyoki (34:55.0) finished third in a race that failed to open up until the last three kilometres. 

“The weather was cool but the course was tricky. We had to run cautiously to avoid injuries,” said Mwangi, who finished third in 10km race at last year’s Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon.
EYES ON TEAM SLOTS

Mwangi said he is aiming at the Sh200,000 jackpot and a place in Kenya’s team for the Africa Cross-country race in March in Uganda. “My desire is to also get a place in the Kenyan 5,000m team for the Commonwealth Games,” explained Mwangi.

Peter, younger brother to 2008 Beijing Olympic Games 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist, Richard Mateelong, was graceful in defeat. “I am not disappointed because I’m consistent. Finishing a race is no joke,” said Mateelong who finished fourth in 10km race at the UAP Ndakaini Half Marathon.

The experienced 23-year-old Police officer Wacera beat Kenya’s representative at the 2013 World Cross-country Championships, Beatrice Chepkemoi Mutai in the last 200m to triumph in 24:25.0. Chepkemoi, from Keringet, finished second in 24:27.0, followed by Jackline Chepng’eno in 24:32.0.

Chebet won the women’s 6km race in 17:51.0, beating Nancy Nzisa (18:31.0) from Machakos as Chebet’s younger sister, Vivian Chepkemei, came third in 18:43.0. Mwangi clocked 20:54.0 to win junior men’s race ahead of Emmanuel Bett (21:01.0) and Alphas Cheptek (Iten) 21:06.0.