Rich field for Army Cross Country event
What you need to know:
- The Corporal, who will turn 25 on December 8, went on to break her own world record by one second after cutting the tape at the Valencia Half Marathon in 64:51 in Spain on October 22, 2017.
- She has since fizzled out, but has been regrouping and recently won the Family Bank Eldoret Half marathon in Uasin Gishu County.
World half marathon record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei and Berlin Half Marathon champion Erick Kiptanui will be the star attractions at the second edition of the Kenya Army Cross Country Championship at Kahawa Garrison in Nairobi on Friday.
Jepkosgei shone in 2017 when she became the first woman to complete 21 kilometres under 65 minutes as she bagged the Prague Half Marathon title on April 1 in 64 minutes and 52 seconds – a world record then.
The Corporal, who will turn 25 on December 8, went on to break her own world record by one second after cutting the tape at the Valencia Half Marathon in 64:51 in Spain on October 22, 2017.
She has since fizzled out, but has been regrouping and recently won the Family Bank Eldoret Half marathon in Uasin Gishu County.
Some of her main challengers at the cross country will be Private Eunice Jeptoo, who finished the 21-kilometre category at the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon in third place in 2014, and Private Viola Yator, who won 2017 Rennes Marathon in France in 2017.
Private Kiptanui has had a wonderful year as he emerged victorious in Berlin Half Marathon in Germany with a sensational course record time of 58 minutes, 42 seconds on April 8 and won the Lisbon Half Marathon in 60 minutes, 05 seconds a month earlier.
Private Edmond Kipng’etich, who finished ninth at the Prague Half Marathon in April this year, is one of the big names that will challenge Kiptanui.
