Former Olympic Marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda is confident of snatching a home victory at the IAAF World Cross Country championships next month.
Kololo grounds in Kampala will host the global showpiece on March 26 and the experienced runner is leading home athletes to the competition.
Kiprotich said their focus is capitalise on home support to deliver the titles.
“Personally, I am very excited and happy that the global event will be happening at home. Having unsuccessfully competed in cross country before, I am targeting a win this time round,” said Kiprotich.
He finished sixth in the senior men’s race at the 2011 World Cross Country in Punta Umbria, Spain.
“The team is motivated and hopeful of sweeping medals at home,” said Kiprotich, who won the 2012 Olympics gold in marathon and went ahead to grab the distance title at the 2013 World Championships.
He will be flying the black and gold flag alongside national cross champion Joshua Cheptegei, Philip Kipyeko, Abdallah Kibet and Timothy Toroitich.
Kiprotich will come face-to-face against training mate and world cross country defending champion, Geoffrey Kamworor. The duo trains together at the Global Sports Communications camp in Kaptagat.
He is only the second Ugandan athlete to win an Olympic title after John Akii-Bua 400m hurdles’ victory at the 1972 Olympics.
After the 2013 world marathon success, he competed at the 2014 New York City marathon, finishing outside the podium but went ahead to secure silver at the Tokyo marathon in February of the following year.