by Larry Eder
- Joyce Chepkemoi speaking to the press, photo by Justin Lagat / The Kenyan
2. The U20 men’s race, photo by Justin Lagat / The Kenyan Athlete
Justin Lagat visited the Kenyan National Cross Country Championships this past weekend, covered the meet for RunBlogRun, and provided this story on the exciting event.
The Kenyan national cross country championships at the Lobo Village in Eldoret were as exciting as expected, from the home of champions.
New national champions were made in the new and relatively tougher course that had many runners either dropping out of the race or dropping their shoes and continuing to run barefoot.
Unlike in the previous years where the Kenya Defence Forces, the Kenya Police, and the Kenya Prisons would often win the individual titles in the men’s senior race, it went to the ordinary citizens this time around.
Samuel Chebolei of North Rift, who is a younger sibling to Ronald Kwemoi broke away from the rest of the field in the last lap to grow a gap that would earn him a win in a comfortable margin at 29:28.9. He finished ahead of Kennedy Kiprop of Western who had been exchanging the lead with him in the last stages of the race and had to settle for the second position in 29:35.2. Vincent Kiprotich of Central Rift took third in 30:02.6.
Joyce Chepkemoi won the senior women’s 10km event at 34:00.00. The runner who was representing the Kenya Defence Forces was greatly surprised by her win after having finished 7th at the last national championships. Her focus now is on the World Cross Country Tour event that will happen in Eldoret next month on 12th February. “After the Memorial Agnes Tirop world cross country tour that will happen here is when I will now decide on my next step,” said Chepkemoi. Margaret Chelimo was second in 34:01.8 representing the Kenya Police and Celliphine Chespol representing the Kenya Prison Service took third in 34:23.3.
The reigning 5000m World U20 Champion, Benson Kiplangat crossed the tape of the 8km race first in 24:08.00 ahead of Samuel Kibathi of Central in 24:16.9 and Raymond Kipkorir of South Rift in 24:21.40.
Also from the South Rift, Faith Cherotich won the women’s under 20 race in 20:28.4 ahead of her teammate Purity Chepkirui in 20:34.8 and Central Rift’s Grace Loibach in 21:07.0.
North Rift’s Pamela Kosgei, sister to the women’s marathon record holder, won the girls’ U18 race in 18:19.4 ahead of Maurine Jepkoech who followed in 18:34.6 before South Rift’s Evaline Chpkoech took the third place in 18:43.2.
Charles Rotich from North Rift won the boys’ race in 18:05.2. Raphael Dapash of South Rift came second in 18:10.00 before Vincent Maiyo, also from North Rift, completed the podium in 18:18.4
