Organizers throw in obstacles, make Eldoret race course more challenging

Uasin Gishu County Governor Jackson Mandago (in tie and cap), Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei (on Mandago’s immediate right) and other officials lead in a ceremonial jog in Eldoret on February 14, 2019 after the launch of the National Cross Country Championships which will be held on February 23 at the Eldoret Sports Club. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • The move is also aimed at achieving parity with the challenging course for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships to be held in Aarhus, Denmark, on March 30
  • The course has half a dozen challenging zones and themed cheer-leading sections, with part of the race run on the roof of the iconic Moesgaard Museum.
  • The Eldoret Sports Club course, with a two-kilometre loop and obstacles, is expected to come close to Aarhus.

Organizers of next weekend’s National Cross Country Championships — led by Athletics Kenya’s Central Rift chairman Abraham Mutai — have thrown in obstacles at the Eldoret Sports Club course to make it more challenging and competitive.

The move is also aimed at achieving parity with the challenging course for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships to be held in Aarhus, Denmark, on March 30.

The global event’s director Jakob Larsen and his team have constructed a course “that requires endurance, speed, skill and courage,” a two-kilometre loop with an elevation gain comprising mud, sand and water, according to information obtained from Aarhus.

The course has half a dozen challenging zones and themed cheer-leading sections, with part of the race run on the roof of the iconic Moesgaard Museum.

The Eldoret Sports Club course, with a two-kilometre loop and obstacles, is expected to come close to Aarhus.

The route for the February 23 championship was unveiled yesterday by Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago.

This is the first time the National Cross Country Championships-cum-trials will be held outside Nairobi where Athletics Kenya (AK) is expected to name a strong team to Aarhus.

Mini World Championships

“This will be a ‘mini World Championships’ and that is why I want to ask all fans to come in large numbers so that they can see real competition. Those who will win in Eldoret are most likely to bag medals in Denmark next month,” said Mandago on Thursday.

AK President Jackson Tuwei said he was delighted that the event was held outside Nairobi for the first time adding that they will continue to host big events outside the capital.

“We will now be organizing the National Cross Country Championships in various counties and this will help in developing talents at the grassroots.

“In the past, we have had few fans watching the event but I know Eldoret will be full of athletics fans who will light up the races,” said Tuwei.

He assured they will select a strong team capable of defending the titles Kenya won in Kampala during the last global event in 2017.

“Athletes from all over the world are working hard to beat Kenyans but we will also be working hard to make sure we remain at the top,” said Tuwei.

Lotto Foundation, the championships’ main sponsors, gave Sh10 million towards the competition.
Acting Oxygen Group chief operating officer and Lotto Foundation representative Maureen Anduro said they will continue supporting athletics in Kenya.

The race is expected to start at exactly 2.00pm just like the international events. The National Police Service, Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Prison Service and over 14 AK regions will battle it out to produce the best athletes who will represent the country in the global event.

Defending world champion Geoffrey Kamworor will lead the Police team seeking to also defend his world title.