East Africa cross country champion Emmanuel Kipsang is confident of making Team Kenya to next’s year’s IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Uganda.
Kipsang said this after storming to victory at the fourth AK cross country meeting over the weekend in Iten.
Kipsang clocked 26:57.2 to reclaim the title he won last year at the same venue.
Toronto marathon winner Philemon Rono, who is famed for pacing Wilson Kipsang to a world marathon record in 2013 Berlin Marathon, placed second in 27:06.9 as Emmanuel Bett completed the top three places in 27:10.3.
“I am very happy for defending the title here and I was impressed after clocking such a time performance at the high altitude region,” Kipsang, who got bronze medals in 5000m and 10,000m at the previous World Military Games said.
“This has really motivated me and I have started strategising for the national trialsin a bid to make the team to the Kampala show. Consistency through the series is a matter that the officials should also consider when making the team but I will try my best to post good results,” Kipsang said.
In the 10km senior women’s race, Emmanule Jebet, who represented Kenya at the world junior championships in 800m, carried the day after beating tow-time Chicago marathon winner Florence Kiplagat.
She clocked 31:08.7 ahead of Nelly Jeptoo, who came in second in 31:15.0 as Gladys Kimaina (31:18.6). Kiplagat finished a distant eleventh in 32:01.1.