Sheilla Chepng’etich the woman to beat at Sotik cross country

The sixth and the final leg of the Athletics Kenya National Cross Country Championship Series will be held at Sotik GK Prisons ground on Saturday.

According to the South Rift Valley AK branch chairman John Wachira, preparations for the event have been concluded.

“We expect a huge turn out as this will be the final round and some of the top runners are expected to attend,” said Wachira.

Speaking to Daily Nation Sport in Nakuru town on Thursday, Wachira urged all the athletes to turn out in large number as the event will mark the end of the competitive season that has seen established names in the sport fall by the wayside.

Wachira said the participants will compete in senior men, senior women, junior men and junior women categories.

And as the season concludes all eyes will be on Sheilla Chep’ngetich in the senior women category who has so far clinched three events.

Chepng’etich won the first edition of the race in Nairobi and followed it up with the second race in Iten before proving her mettle in the third edition in Nyahururu where she beat two world Cross Country Champions Emily Chebet and Faith Chep’ngetich.

WORK EXTRA HARD

However, in the final leg in Sotik, Chepng’etich will have to work extra hard as Sela Jepleting, who won the fifth edition in Machakos, will be keen to prove that she is also ready to take the overall national gory.

The 2010 World junior Cross country champion Mercy Cherono who has yet to regain her form will be another star attraction in Sotik.
Others include Jackline Chepng’eno, Beatrice Mutai and Lucy Kabuu.

In the senior men category the evergreen Philip Langat, who won the Nyahururu edition and followed it with another convincing victory in Machakos, will be the man to beat as he seeks to crown the year with his third victory.

Langat, who came second in Iten, is highly tipped to win the national trials in Nairobi.