Runners smell cash as cross country season nears

Faith Chepngetich (right) wins the six-kilometre junior race ahead of Jackline Chepngeno and Alice Aprot during the Machakos leg of the Athletics Kenya cross country series. Chepng’eno is favourite to win the Sh250,000 jackpot as the cross country season approaches the end. Photo/MOHAMMED AMIN

The battle for the national cross country jackpot enters the penultimate stage in Iten where top athletes will seek to make the final push in the seventh leg of the AK/KCB cross country championship series on Saturday.

However, several elite athletes will be globetrotting in Europe for the IAAF cross country circuit with a race in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Head coach Julius Kirwa remained optimistic the elite athletes will turn out in Iten to gauge their preparedness before the institutions hold their meetings.

He reiterated that consistence and performance in the national championship and throughout the season will be looked at during the team selection to World Cross Country Championship in Punta Umbria, Spain, in March.

“Elite athletes who miss local competitions, risk not being considered in any international meetings Kenya will enter.

“They are required to participate in two competitions in the cross country series locally for them to qualify for selection,” he said.

Faith Chepngetich, a fourth place finisher at the World Junior cross country last year is in pole position to claim the Sh250,000 jackpot having chalked up two wins in Tala and Embu.

However, she faces strong challenge from upstart Sheila Chemutai who won in Kisii and was second in Kipkelion.

Other contenders are Alice Aprot, Hilda Chepkemoi and Caroline Chepkoech, the younger sister to Mercy Cherono, the world cross country junior women’s champion.

Simon Cheprot has a slight edge over Nicholas Togom in the junior men 8km race. Each has won one race and finished third once in the last six legs.

Hold sway

But Cheptot was second in Kapsokwonyi beating Togom to third place.

Whoever will win on Saturday between the two will have a major say though the performance during the national championship will hold sway.

In the senior women’s 8km, it is Pauline Njeri who holds the lead.