Nyamira couple Dickson Simba and Teresa Omosa are expected to dominate the Nyanza South cross country championships to be held at Kisii Golf Course on Friday.
Simba, an experienced road racer and mountain runner, is a clear favourite in the men’s race but faces stiff competition from training-mates at Mochenwa Athletics Camp including Sammy Nyokaye, Richard Atuya, Dennis Kiyaka, Duke Morang’a, and Brian Nyangaresi.
Nyokaye, an experienced marathoner and pacemaker said: “We are happy that sports activities have resumed. On Friday, my biggest competitor remains Simba. He is my protégé and I hope to beat him but I expect a tough race.”
Simba said: “We have been training for the race. My target on Friday is to make the team for the national championships. A slot in the Kenyan team has eluded me for some years and I hope this will be my year.”
In the senior women’s event, the battle for the top six slots will be between experienced marathoners Omosa, Winfridah Moseti, Damaris Areba, Lorna Nyabochoa and Nancy Kerage.
In the Under-18 and U- 20 events, Mogonga, Eluni and Keberesi camps are expected to dominate. Boruma camp, which has been revived by former athlete Valentine Orare, will also field athletes while junior athletes training at Kehancha in Migori County will also be in action.
On Wednesday, Athletics Nyanza South chairman, Peter Angwenyi, said the top six athletes in each category will be selected to represent the region at the national cross country championships on February 13 at Jockey Club in Ngong, Nairobi.
Kisii Golf Course was supposed to host the national cross country championships but the event was moved to Nairobi due to the Covid-19 pandemic.