Pacy Chespol sets sights on ‘Club Games’

Kenyan athletes arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on March 19, 2018 from 2018 Africa Cross Country Championship in Algeria. Kenya won all the team titles in the championship. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • Chespol and Barkach were part of the triumphant Team Kenya that returned to a rousing reception on Monday.
  • The team was received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei, Lotto Foundation CEO Brian Walucho and Harun Komen, an administrator in the Sports Ministry.
  • Friends and family members also braved the chilly weather to wait for the triumphant athletes to disembark from their flight amid song and dance.

The new Africa Cross Country champions Cellphine Chespol and Alfred Barkach have set their sights on major accolades after their continental exploits in Chlef, Algeria, on Saturday.

Chespol, who is the reigning World Cross Country junior bronze medallist and World Junior 3,000 metres steeplechase champion, said her next target is the 3,000m steeplechase title in Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast ‘Club Games’ are due April 4-15 in Australia. Chespol graduated to the senior ranks in style, winning senior women’s 10km title as compatriot, African Games 5,000m champion Margaret Chelimo, took silver.

Chespol’s fighting spirit was exhibited in Chlef after she won the race despite having stopped with one lap to go thinking that she had finished the race.

“I never gave up after I was signalled to continue the race. I was used to junior events and perhaps that is why I thought I had finished the race,” said Chespol.

It could never have been a better start for Alfred Barkach who cashed in on the absence of his mentor and World Cross Country champion Geoffrey Kamworor to win senior men’s 10km title on his international debut. His compatriot Julius Kogo took silver.

Even though Barkach will not travel for the Commonwealth Games, he has set his sights on the Diamond League as well as the Africa Senior Athletics Championships slated for Nigeria in August this year. 

While Barkach, 21, will try to qualify in 10,000m at the continental competition, he will compete in 3,000m and 5,000m at the Diamond League.

“My journey to conquer the world has started with victory in Algeria,” said Barkach. “My training mate Kamworor really inspired me and I want to be like him. Conquer both at cross country and track.”

Chespol and Barkach were part of the triumphant Team Kenya that returned to a rousing reception on Monday.

The team was received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei, Lotto Foundation CEO Brian Walucho and Harun Komen, an administrator in the Sports Ministry.

Friends and family members also braved the chilly weather to wait for the triumphant athletes to disembark from their flight amid song and dance.

Athletics Kenyan and Lotto Foundation, which are the National Cross Country Series sponsors, later hosted the team for dinner at Weston Hotel, Nairobi.

Head coach John Kimetto paid tribute to his charges and attributed their exemplary show to right tactics and good preparations. Team Kenya won all the team titles and three individual titles in senior men and women and junior men’s races.

 “All the performances impressed me since my athletes stuck to our game plan and tactics besides listening to what they were told. We avoided pacing for others under such rainy and chilly conditions,” said Kimetto.

“It was my intentions to sweep all the podium places but our lowest was silver with the junior girls winning bronze only.

Nevertheless, Kimetto said he is glad the junior girls managed to reclaim the team title that had been elusive for some time.

Kimetto heaped praises on Chespol for her fighting spirit after she won the race despite having stopped with one lap to go thinking that she had finished the race. 

“That is the fighting spirit that is known for Kenyans and the girls is destined to go places,” said Kimetto adding that Barkach’s masterpiece is a clear show of the deep talent Kenya has by winning on his international debut.

Tuwei said that they will liaise with ministry of sports to see how best they will reward the team while Walucho pledged support for athletics.