Stage set for Mau-Egerton race
Conseslus Kipruto (left) competes in men’s 3000m steeplechase at Nyayo National Stadium on July 13, 2013. Kipruto will compete in next month’s Mau-Egerton Cross-country race in Njoro. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Muema said they are talking to the 2012 Olympic marathon bronze medallist Wilson Kipsang (Eldoret University) to grace the championship that will also have former national 400m and 200m champion Florence Wasike (Kenyatta University) taking part.
- Most regions and institutions would use the varsity event to test their athletes what with the National Cross-country Championships coming a week after the race.
- The race is aimed at raising funds for the conservation of the Mau water catchment, Njoro River as well raise awareness on the need to conserve the environment through tree planting.
Athletics Kenya Universities Region will use the second edition of the Mau-Egerton University Cross-country Championships on February 7 to select their team for the National Championships.
It’s at the national championships planned for February 14 at the Uhuru Gardens that Team Kenya for the World Championships slated for Guiyang, China will be picked.
The 2013 Moscow World 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist Conseslus Kipruto, who is a student at Eldoret University will highlight men’s 12km race alongside Mark Pkorir from Moi University.
AK Universities secretary, Edward Muema, said they made the race their selection event for the nationals so as to bring in quality. “We didn’t want to water down the event by holding our varsities cross trials separately,” said Muema after the launch of this year’s edition of the race on Friday at Egerton University’s Agricultural Resource Centre in Njoro.
Muema said they are talking to the 2012 Olympic marathon bronze medallist Wilson Kipsang (Eldoret University) to grace the championship that will also have former national 400m and 200m champion Florence Wasike (Kenyatta University) taking part. Most regions and institutions would use the varsity event to test their athletes what with the National Cross-country Championships coming a week after the race.
“There are cash awards for the winners, this being part of the AK event,” said Muema. The team that will be selected will seek to defend the World title during the global cross-cointry championships in July in South Korea.
It’s Philip Lang’at and Joyce Chepkemoi won the senior men’s 12km and women’s 8km titles during the inaugural championships last year. Lang’at is in his top form, having won the Kenya Prisons Cross-country Championships last weekend just days after claiming the Athletics Kenya Cross Series with victory at Nyahururu, Machakos and Sotik.
The race that promotes environment conservation will be held on February 7 at Egerton University’s play grounds in Njoro. The launch presided by Kenya Commercial Bank Corporate Relation Manager, Nicholas Choge was attended by the various sponsors and stakeholders in sports and environmental conservation, among them Nation Media Group, Co-operative Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank, National Bank of Kenya, Amaco Insurance, APA insurance and Kenya Forest Service.
The race is aimed at raising funds for the conservation of the Mau water catchment, Njoro River as well raise awareness on the need to conserve the environment through tree planting.
It will feature several races including 12km senior men’s race, 8km junior men, 8km senior women and 6km junior women.
Others are 4km race for corporate teams, Egerton university alumni and men over 45 years, 2km race for women above 35 years and children between 5yrs and 8yrs and 1km race for class 1-4 pupils and Egerton university staff above 55years.
Prof Rose Mwonya, the AK Universities branch chairman, and Egerton University Vice Chancellor Prof James Tuitoek have been sensitising the community living near Njoro River on the need to plant trees.
