Nyanza South regional cross country will be staged on Friday at Kiendege Secondary
School in Nyamira County, regional chairman Peter Angwenyi has said.
Angwenyi said athletes from Nyamira, Kisii and Migori counties will battle it out for places to represent the region at the national cross country trials.
“We expect a very strong field of athletes to take part in the regional showpiece. It will be very competitive if what we saw at the Nyamira and Kisii County Championships is anything to go by,” added Angwenyi. He said athletes, who did not get an opportunity to participate in the county championships, are free to take part in the regional show.
Mully Half Marathon champion Sammy Nyokaye, who won the Nyamira meeting at Rigoma last weekend, starts favourite in the senior men’s 1okm race.
He faces stiff competition from compatriots Dancun Manyara and Dennis Kiyaka alongside Kisii County’s Joseph Koech of Keroka Athletics Club, Dennis Koech and Dennis Kayiok. “I’m in good shape ahead of the regionals. My target is make the cut for the national trials,” said Nyokaye who trains at Mochenwa.
In the senior women’s race, experienced marathoner Teresa Omosa will battle it out with Lorna Nyabochoa. The duo won the Nyamira and Kisii County meetings respectively. “I know regionals will not be easy but I’m prepared for it,”
said Omosa, who is preparing for the Kilimanjaro Marathon in Arusha in March.
They will, however, face off with experienced Winfrida Moseti who has been entered from Nyamira County. Also expected are—Beatrice Begi, Sheila Nyambura, Nancy Kerage, Doris Monda and Hyline Mogaka.
In the junior races, World Under-18 race walking bronze medallist, Samson Ndigiti, will hope to utilize his home advantage in the 8km race. He finished fifth in the Nyamira cross country. The event was won by John Morang’a of Mochenwa while Eric Nyambane of Kiendege and Enoch Onchari finished secondf and third respectively. They will battle it out with Kisii County’s Cosmas Kiprop, Francis Charito and Bernard Mogeni. East Africa secondary schools 5, 000m and 3, 000m gold medallist Dolphine Omare is tipped in the 6km race. She
will be up against Jane Nyaboke, who won in Kisii, Esther Borura and Olivia Barongo.