Amos Kirui: National X-Country champion wants gold in Denmark
What you need to know:
- Charles Ngau believes the athlete is destined for greatness.
Former World Junior 3,000m steeplechase champion Amos Kirui surprised many when he stunned a star-studded field to win the senior men's 10km race at the National Cross Country Championships in Eldoret last weekend.
The Keringet-based athlete ran a brilliant race before kicking when it mattered most to steal victory in 29:50.5 before a shocked audience at the packed Eldoret Sports Club with Evans Keitany second in 29:57.4 while Rodgers Kwemoi settled third in 29:59.3.
“I had done good preparations knowing that it would be tough because I was competing with the best in the world. I’m happy my kick saved the day. I will be looking forward to a good run in the global event where I want to win gold,” the Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase bronze medallist told Nation Sport.
FINISHED EIGHTH
Kirui's coach at Keringet Athletics Training Camp in Nakuru County, Charles Ngau believes the athlete is destined for greatness.
Kirui finished eighth in the junior category in the 2017 World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda.
“We did a mistake in Kampala because Kirui paced for the other athletes all through and he could not kick in the remaining one kilometre of the race. I told him to run from behind this time round and just kick in the last kilometre which worked for him,” said Ngau.
The team is expected to report on Friday for residential training in Kigari Teachers Training College in Embu ahead of the World Cross Country Championships set for March 30 in Aarhus, Denmark.
He will be teaming up with the defending champion Geoffrey Kamworor, World Under-20 10,000m champion Rhonex Kipruto, Evans Keitany, Rogers Kwemoi and World Cross Country junior bronze medallist Richard Kimunyan.
Kirui also won bronze for Kenya in the 2014 Africa Youth 2,000m steeplechase and the silver at the Youth Olympics in the same race.
