Kimunyan, Chebet reign at National Cross Country junior events
Cellphine Chespol (133) from Nairobi leads her teammate Sandra Chebet (137) during the junior women's 6km race at Lotto National Cross Country Championships at Uhuru Gardens on February 17, 2017 . Chebet won the race in 19:25.1 followed by Chespol in 19:46.6. PHOTO | AYUMBA AYODI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Chebet, World Under Youth 3,000m silver medallist, retained her women's 6km title in 19 minutes and 25.1 seconds, edging out teammate World Junior 3,000m steeplechase champion Cellphine Chespol to second in 19:46.6.
Chespol is also the World Youth 2,000m steeplechase champion.
Central Rift's Richard Kimunyan and Sandra Chebet from Nairobi are this year's Lotto National Cross Country junior men and women's champions.
Kimunyan, the World Youth 3,000m champion, overtook Nairobi's Wesley Ledama in the last 500m to win his first national cross junior men's 8km race in 23 minutes and 03.0 seconds.
Kimunyan, who is also the Commonwealth and Africa Youth 3,000m bronze medallist, beat Meshak Munguti from Southern to second place in 23:10.0 as Ladema,who is the World Junior 10,000m bronze medallist settled third in 23:13.2.
It was a sweet victory for Kimunyan, who finished 10th at the 2015 Nationals, having missed last year's event. Kimunyan had won the April per of Athletics Kenya series and Discovery Cross Country last month.
"It feels good to represent Kenya. I am confident of victory at the World Cross since Kenyan event is the toughest and by winning it makes me the favourite," said Kimunyan. "My weaknes was in closing the gap hence I had to keep Ladema closer. I knew I had a good finishing kick in the last 500m and I just did that."
The trio will now lead Kenya's junior men's assault at World Cross Country due March 26 in Kampala.
Chebet, World Under Youth 3,000m silver medallist, retained her women's 6km title in 19 minutes and 25.1 seconds, edging out teammate World Junior 3,000m steeplechase champion Cellphine Chespol to second in 19:46.6. Chespol is also the World Youth 2,000m steeplechase champion.
Chespol and Chebet were toe-toe into the last 2km with Chespol commanding the lead with 1km to go. Chebet would then wait the last 500m to bolt away from Chespol for victory. " I trained well for this race and I thank God for retaining the title," said Chebet, who won Athletics Kenya Cross series in Nairobi before finishing second in Nyahururu and fourth in Sotik.
Junior women's 6km
1. Sandra Chebet (Nairobi) 19:25.1
2. Cellphine Chespol (Nairobi) 19:46.6
3. Sheila Chelagat (South Rift) 19:49.6
4. Emmaculate Chepkirui (South Rift) 19:51.8
5. Joyline Cherotich (South Rift) 19:53.8
6. Esther Muthoni (Nairobi) 19:56. 7
Junior men's 8km
1. Richard Kimunyan (Central Rift) 23:03.2
2. Meshak Munguti (Southern) 23:10.0
3. Wesley Ladema (Nairobi) 23:13.2
4. Edwin Kiplagat (South Rift) 23:14.5
5. Amos Kirui (South Rift) 23:17.1
6. Ronald Kirui (South Rift) 23:22.0
