Cross country action in Nyahururu on Saturday

Established and upcoming athletes head to the high altitude Nyahururu for Saturday’s third leg of the Athletics Kenya National Cross Country Series.

Runners should expect some biting cold and probably some rain when they line up at the mainly flat course at the Nyandarua Institute of Science and Technology.

The meet will be an opportunity for the large number of athletes who train around Nyahururu town to gauge themselves on their preparedness for the season that leads to selection of the national team to the World Cross Country championship in Kampala next March.

The local legion will face strong opponents drawn from the domineering North and Central Rift areas. South Rift’s Kericho area is expected to bring the Africa junior cross country champion Miriam Cherop and World Under-18 steeplechase silver medallist Sandrafelis Chebet.

The 2013 World Cross Country champion, Japheth Korir, who won the men’s senior race during the second leg of the series in Kilgoris last weekend, is expected to be in Nyahururu to seek a winning streak.

Winfred Moseti, who won senior women race in Kilgoris, could also grace the third leg tomorrow. Among the Nyahururu runners expected to give a good account of themselves include Pauline Wangui, a member of Kenya’s team to the 2008 World Half Marathon Championships in Rio de Janeiro who has been making a comeback after a long lay-off.  

Africa cross country champion Alice Aprot will battling against locals led by World Half Marathon Championships bronze medallist Mary Wacera. 

Nyandarua County Athletics Kenya chairman Francis Mwaniki said the turn out should be impressive “since most athletes like testing themselves in high altitude”.

“We have several upcoming athletes from our training camps here that are expected to challenge the old order,” Mwaniki said