Team Kenya have this morning struck gold and silver at the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championship in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Patrick Kipngeno clinched gold with Philemon Kiriago setting for silver in the men’s classic uphill 8.5km race.
Kipngeno went into the race as favourite having won six gold label races during the Mountain Running World Cup circuit. Kiriago, an upcoming mountain runner, finished second during the series.
Kipngeno won the race in 46:51, Kiriago took silver in 48:24 while Spain’s Alejandro Garcia settled for bronze in 49:03.
Kipngeno and Kiriago will hope to replicate their performance when they take part in the classic up and down 11.2km race on Sunday. He became the first Kenyan to win a World Mountain Running title.
In the women’s category, Kenya’s lone representative Joyce Njeru finished a distant 35th clocking 1:06:15.
Allie Mclaughlin won gold in 55:15 with Andrea Mayr bagging silver in 55:41 while Maude Mathys came third in 56:00.
Njeru, who dominated the World Mountain Running World Cup winning the overall title will hope to redeem herself when she takes part in the classic up and down 11.2km race on Sunday. She won six gold label races during the circuit.
Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei congratulated Kipngeno and Kiriago. “Well done. Congratulation on the performance,” he said.
Athletics Kenya Mountain running coordinator Peter Angwenyi said: “Impressed with the results and I’m looking forward to another stellar performance from the athletes on Sunday.”
The inaugural championships is a collaboration between World Athletics, the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA), the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) and the International Trail Running Association (ITRA).
More than 900 athletes from 46 member federations are taking part in five elite races for men and women, including one for U20 athletes.
