Mountain Running Championships set for Naivasha

Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei (right) chats Run-Together athletics camp founder Thomas Krejci (left) in Kiambogo, Naivasha. The camp's head coach Joseph Ngure looks on. PHOTO | COURTESY |

What you need to know:

  • AK have said they will select a provisional team of four athletes in both senior men and women and two junior runners.
  • The rough terrain will see athletes navigate through a 9km of uphill and downhill with a demanding steep uphill.
  • Senior women will cover 6km while junior boys will run 6km with the girls covering 3km.

Athletics Kenya will this weekend select a team that will represent the country in the World Mountain Championships set for September in Andorra.

AK will select a provisional team of four athletes in both senior men and women and two junior runners that will go to residential training in Austria courtesy of Run-2-Together, run by mountain running specialists Thomas Krejci and Geoffrey Gikoni.

The event, set to be held in Naivasha on Saturday, will be flagged off at Cornerstone Preparatory Academy along Mai Mahiu-Naivasha road and goes through 10km trails for the men’s category at Mt Longonot.

The rough terrain will see athletes navigate through a 9km of uphill and downhill with a demanding steep uphill. Senior women will cover 6km while junior boys will run 6km with the girls covering 3km.

World Mountain running 10km champion Lucy Wambui, Robert Panin Surum and Stephen Ndege are expected to battle for honours in the event, which is free for any interested athletes.

“This is an endurance event that can help both track and road runners in their preparations for the season. We are also urging runners to dress in warm clothes, because the top of Mt Longonot is very cold,” said John Wachira, AK South Rift Branch.

Commonwealth Games marathon 10,000m Stella Chesang of Uganda and Club Games marathon bronze medallist Robbie Simpson are some of renowned mountain runners. Chesang is a former mountain runner’s junior champion.