After three years of Nyayo National Stadium closure, the Maurie Plant Memorial Race scheduled for June 11 will mark the return to action at the newly-looking facility.
The competition, one of its kind will pit five Kenyan athletes against an equal number of Norway for glory in the 2000m race.
World 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot will lead a five-man star-studded team drawn from Rongai Athletics Club in muscling for the bragging rights against the Norwegian team dubbed Team Ingebrigsten. The Kenyan team will be labelled 'Team Cheruiyot'
Cheruiyot will enjoy the company of his bosom-buddy and Commonwealth champion Elijah Manangoi, Winny Chebet, Timothy Sain and Edwin Melly. The team is currently training at the facility under the tutelage of Bernard Ouma with Gilbert Murei taking care of their physiotherapy.
With the skies still locked due to the prevailing coronavirus pandemic, the Kenyan opponents will run at their Oslo backyard with the race being streamed live. Similarly, Ouma's charges will take it to the Nyayo Stadium track to run with the team posting the best time carrying the day.
Sports Cabinet Secretary, Amina Mohamed, who gave the preparations and the competition a clean bill of health, said it will remind Kenyans of the glory athletes have brought to the country.
“We will have a championship on June 11 at the Nyayo Stadium between our athletes and Norway. It is a virtual race for everyone but real for the two teams. The athletes will be competing for an appearance fee but its an effort to ensure people don't forget the wonders of athletics and that Kenya is recognised as a sporting nation. We are proud we were chosen by Norway to participate in the memorial race. It is a vote of confidence in our country and all of us, in as far as the dedication and commitment of our sportsmen is concerned,” she said.
Meanwhile, the trio of Manangoi, Cheruiyot and Melly exuded confidence that they will down their opponents. Manangoi, a former world 1,500m champion, said despite the high altitude, the team was keen to win the race.
“We are happy to be back on track after a long time. We pray to God that the pandemic will end soon and we will return to our normal routine. It is a race just like the others but the altitude here is slightly high. All the same, we will give our best to beat them. We thank everyone who was involved in organising the race,” he said.
"We have been doing well in training for the last couple of days with our eyes fixed on the prize," said Cheruiyot.
