Chespol, Aprot out of Kenya prisons Cross Country
What you need to know:
- The 20-year-old Chespol said the injury she sustained at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, which saw her fail to finish in the 3,000m steeplechase final, has failed to heal on time.
Tendon injuries have forced defending champion Celliphine Chespol and former winner Alice Aprot to withdraw from Kenya Prisons Cross Country Championships due today at Prisons Staff Training College (PSTC), Ruiru.
The 20-year-old Chespol said the injury she sustained at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, which saw her fail to finish in the 3,000m steeplechase final, has failed to heal on time.
“This is an Olympic year and I really don’t want to push it hard. Cross country courses are usually tough hence I can aggravate the injury,” said Chespol, the Africa Cross Country champion.
The withdrawal of the two-time World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion now throws the challenge wide open.
Last year, Chespol turned the tables on defending champion Alice Aprot to win her first Kenya Prisons Cross Country title. Chespol ran in Aprot's shadow for three laps before taking off in the last lap to win in a time of 33 minutes and 14.9 seconds, ending Aprot's three-year dominance.
Aprot, the 2017 World Cross Country silver medallist, clocked 33:32:0 while guest athlete Loise Chemunung finished third in 34:21:9. It was sweet revenge for Chespol who finished second behind Aprot in the 2018 edition.
Aprot has been nursing a nagging tendon injury that got worse after the Prions Cross Country to see her miss the national championships and subsequently the whole of 2019 season.
“It’s unfortunate that the injury has derailed the talented Aprot,” said Kenya prisons coach Gedion Chirchir. “I wish her quick recovery and hope she will be up for the Olympics.”
Aprot, the former Africa 10,000m and Cross Country champion, represented Kenya in 10,000m at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games where she settled fourth in a personal best 29:53.51.
Chespol and Aprot's absence leaves 2017 World Cross Country bronze medallist Lilian Kasait, who is also the African Games 5,000m champion, a clear favourite.
Kasait finished sixth during the Nationals and 12th at the World Cross Country Championships last year.
She won the 5,000m race during World Championships trials before settling fifth at the World Championships where Hellin Obiri retained her title with Margaret Chelimo going for silver.
Kasait will face Chemunung, former Paris Marathon champion Visiline Jepkesho, Sandra Chebet, Sharon Chepchumba and Jane Mwikali among others.
World 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot will open his season in the mixed relay race but Charles Mneria is hoping to defend the men’s 10km title.
Mneria is up against a horde of seasoned long distance athletes including 2012 Olympic 5,000m bronze medallist Thomas Longosiwa, Wilfred Kimitei, Mark Bett, Geoffrey Korir and Cornelius Kangogo.
