Kenya Defence Forces will field a mixture of youth and experience at the AK/ Lotto national cross country championships set for Uhuru Gardens tomorrow.
Veteran runners Kiplimo Kimutai and Peter Ndegwa lead Franklin Ng’elel, Hillary Kering, John Elimlim and Reuben Limaa in the senior men’s 10km category.
Former world half marathon champion, Gladys Cherono, headlines the senior women’s team and will have the company of Sheila Chepkirui, Peninah Kandie, Judy Chemutai, Caroline Chepkemoi and Josephine Jepkosgei.
Head coach Samuel Kibet observed that the team is ready and raring to go as the hunt for places in the Team Kenya to the World Cross Country Championships in Uganda on March 26 intensifies.
“The team has prepared well, is motivated and only waiting for Saturday,” said Kibet. “We have a relatively young team but had to bring the likes of Kimutai to motivate them. Seeing such an experienced runner can inspire the others and drive them to achieving much on race day.”
He added: “We have quite a good number of cross country runners and even some of the big names could not make the team due to one reason or another.”
The team is currently in residential training in Ngong and Kibet believes if all goes to plan, they will stake claim to a number of tickets to Kampala. “The training we have had is top-notch and our belief is that KDF will be well represented in the national team,” said Kibet.
But regardless of the outcome in Saturday’s race, Kibet maintains that Kenya is the team to beat in Uganda.
“Kenyan runners have been running very well since the start of the season and there is no reason why they should not do it in Uganda,” he said. “We are only hopeful that the selection panel will pick the strongest team possible as we seek to bring back home all the individual and team titles.”
Elsewhere, world youth 3000m bronze medallist, Sheilah Chelangat is hopeful of replicating her recent form on the track when she graces the World Cross Country Championships next month in Kampala.
The athlete, who comes from the South Rift region, is targeting to make the team to world cross country in Kampala during the national trials in Nairobi this weekend.
“This is a cross-country season and I am hopeful I will make the team to world show,” Chelangat said.
She won the junior women’s 6km category during the South Rift regional cross country championships. “I have represented Kenya and I have some experience competing with different athletes from around the globe,” she said.
The 18-year-old represented Kenya at the previous World Youth in Colombia and at the Commonwealth Games in Samoa, where she won gold medal in 3,000m.
“This season, I feel I have trained well and I know trials will not be easy but I will fight for my position,” said Chelangat, who finished sixth in 3,000m last year at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Poland. Chelagat confirmed that the she will not take part in the World Under-18 event in Nairobi in July.
“I will not be in the age bracket for the world youth show but I am happy that my next focus is to transit to junior category and I still have African Junior Championships this year but first for me is the world cross country,” she said.