Chepng’etich, Maruka to lead Nairobi charge

Dubai Marathon champion Ruth Chepng’etich and Linus Maruka will lead the Athletics Kenya (AK) Nairobi Region senior teams to the National Cross Country Championships slated for February 28 at Eldoret Sports Club.

Youth Olympics 3,000m silver medallist Mercy Chepkorir and Enit Yeko secured the Nairobi tickets for the junior women’s 6km race at the Nationals with Maibei Kiplimo leading the assault in the junior men’s 8km race.

Chepng’etich, who is fresh from running the third fastest time in the marathon with victory in Dubai on January 25, tore her opponents and the course to shreds at Posta grounds on Ngong Road in a gun-to-tape performance in the women’s 8km in 30 minutes and 51.1 seconds.

The Rosa Associati management athlete said that even though she was using the race to recover from the energy-sapping Dubai Marathon, she will be glad to perform well at the Nationals and represent Kenya for the second time.

Team Kenya will be selected at the Eldoret competition for the World Cross Country Championships programmed for March 30 in Aarhus, Denmark.

“I wanted to go for speed, which is a good recovery process. It’s always great to don the national colours and I will take the ticket as I get it,” said the Ngong-based 24-year-old athlete, who finished 13th at the 2018 World Half Marathon.

The trailblazing 2018 Istanbul Marathon champion, who competed for Westlands edged out the World Mountain race champion Lucy Wambui to second place in 32:17.0 as 2015 World under-18 3,000m silver medallist Emily Chebet settled third in 33:00.3.

“If I fail to get the nod for the World Cross then my manager Federico Rosa will determine my next race,” said Chepng’etich, who savoured her first cross country victory.

Maruka, who finished 14th during the Kenya Defence Forces Cross Country Championships a fortnight ago to miss out on selection, got a second chance when he won the Nairobi region men’s 10km race in 27:49.1.

He beat Josphat Kiprotich to second in 27:54.6 as Sila Kiptoo came third in 28:00.5.

Yeko, who finished sixth in the women’s 10km at the Kenya Prisons Cross Country championships edged out the Africa Youth 3,000m bronze medallist Chepkorir to victory in the women’s under-20 6km race, clocking 18:23.9 against 18:25.5. Zana Chemtai came in third in 18:25.8.

SELECTED RESULTS:

Men’s 10km race

1. Linus Maruka (Makadara) 27:49.1

2. Jopshat Kiprotich (Lang’ata) 27:54.6

3. Sila Kiptoo (Makadara) 28:00.5

Women’s 10km

1. Ruth Chepng’etich (Westlands) 30:51.1

2. Lucy Wambui (Njiru) 32:17.0

3. Emily Chebet (Lang’ata) 33:00.3

Men’s 8km race

1. Maibei Kiplimo (Lang’ata) 22:00.9

2. Victor Chepkwony (Lang’ata) 22:03

3. Albert Tonui (Lang’ata) 22:05.4

Women’s 6km race

1. Enit Yeko (Makadara) 18:23.9

2. Mercy Chepkorir (Lang’ata) 18:25.3

3. Zena Chemtai (Embakasi) 18:25.8