Athletics Kenya mountain running coordinator Peter Angwenyi is upbeat that Kenya will reclaim the World Mountain Running title in Thailand in November.
Angwenyi said Kenyan athletes have been performing well in build-up events.
“I am impressed by the performances of Kenyan athletes in various Mountain Running events in Europe. This is a clear indication that they will do well in the World Mountain Running Championships this year,” Angwenyi told the Star.
Chiang Mai, Thailand will host the first-ever joint World Mountain and Trail Running Championships on November 11-14.
Last year’s World Mountain Running and World Long Distance Championships which were supposed to be held at Haria Lanzarote, Spain were canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On Thursday, Angwenyi said Kenya will field a strong team — about 40 athletes — for this year’s event which will feature six categories including vertical uphill race, classic up and down for seniors, classic up and down for juniors, short train for seniors and long trail race 75-80kms for seniors.
“We are looking forward to this year’s event. Despite the Covid-19 challenges, I’m confident that Kenya will do well at the global event,” said Angwenyi.
In 2019, Kenya and other African nations did not enter teams for the event which was held in Villa La Angostura, Argentina — the first time it was held outside Europe due to visa restrictions.
Angwenyi said Kenya will be seeking to reclaim the women’s individual and team title which the country won in 2018. Lucy Murigi became the first African woman to win the event.
Last weekend, Purity Gitonga, Joyce Njeru and Murigi swept the podium during the Grossglockner Berglauf race in Heiligenblut, Austria. Lengen Lolkurraru also from Kenya claimed the men’s event.
This was the second event in the 2021 World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Cup. The next World Cup race is set for La Montee Du Nid d’Aigle in St Gervais, France on Saturday.
