Chelangat snubs Africa Cross team for Spain race

Newly crowned national cross country champion, Sheila Chelangat from National Police Service, has been left out of Team Kenya for the Africa Cross Country Championships due April 8 this year in Lome, Togo.

Chelangat stormed to victory in the senior women's 10km race at the Lotto Athletics Kenya Cross Country Championships at the Ngong Racecourse on Saturday.

Chelangat, who had a month earlier won the National Police title, said that as much as she would have loved to represent Kenya, she had already signed up for a race in the same period in Spain.

Chelangat’s teammate, Stacy Ndiwa, who won the national title in 2018, will now lead the women’s assault alongside 2019 World Cross Country Under-20 Beatrice Chebet from Nairobi.

Also making the team is 2019 World 5,000m silver medallist Margaret Chelimo from Police and Kenya Defence Forces champion, Joyce Chepkemoi among others.

The new kid on the block, Kibiwott Kandie, who handed Kenya Defence Forces their first victory in 17 years amid confusion, will lead the men’s 10km team. Two-time champion Geoffrey Kamworor was second in the race that was marred by confusion towards the end. Kamwowor won the diadem in 2016 and 2018.

Kamworor, who had taken command of the race in the last three laps, was misdirected at the last bend to the home-straight. The route marshals failed to open the tape for the leading Kamworor, who had to go back.

It was too late for Kamworor since the tape had been opened for Kandie who was now far ahead and the KDF man claimed victory in 29 minutes and 57.7 minutes. Kandie is the first KDF athlete to win the title since John Cheruiyot Korir in 2003.

A dejected Kamworor settled second in 30:05.5 as Kimeli from Central Rift clocked 30:12.0 for third place.

Barkach came in fourth in 30:25.7 with Bett wrapping the top five vanguard in 30:30.9.

"I had prepared well for this race and it feels great to win for the first time," said Kibiwott, who has dominated the KDF Championships for the last two years.

Kibiwott said he is ready to lead Team Kenya at the Africa Cross Country Championships due April 8 in Lome, Togo.

After Kenya Police Services protested, the organisers awarded Kandie and Kamworor same points for the team event but Kandie got to retain the title.

With Kamworor out of the team, Kandie will team up with teammate Barkach, who will be defending his Africa Cross Country title in the West African country. Kamworor will be defending his World Half Marathon title on March 29 in Poland.

Others are Nicholas Kimeli from Central Rift, Emmanuel Bett (Police), Edwin Kiplagat (Central Rift) and Edwin Kosgei (South Rift).

Nyanza North’s Samwel Chebolei will lead the men’s Under-20 team that also has Jacob Krop (North Rift), who represented Kenya in 5,000m at the Doha World Championships last year, and Shadrack Kipchirchir (Central Rift).

Maureen Cherotich, who won women’s Under-20 crown, highlights the women’s Under-20 team that also has 2018 Youth Olympics 1,500m/cross country champion Edinah Jebitok.

Chelangat obliterated a strong field when she took charge in the last two laps to win in 34:34.9. Kenya Defence Forces' Hellen Obiri won the title last year, but a back injury ruled her out of her title defence.

Chelangat was too good for compatriot Ndiwa, who settled second in 34:40.4. Chepkemoi clocked 34:48.8 for third place as Immaculate Anyango from South Rift came in fourth in 34:58.3.

Chebet graduated to senior ranks with a fifth-place finish in 35:00.1 as North Rift's Monicah Chirchir timed 35:02.8 for sixth.

"I had prepared well for this event having won the Kenya Police title at the same course a month ago," said Chelangat. "I think this is my moment with two major wins already under my belt.”