Zeddy Jepleting and Nickson Kipkirui will lead Central Rift athletes in this weekend’s World Under-20 Athletics Kenya trials at Nyayo Stadium.
AK are using the national trials to select a formidable team that will represent the country at the World Under 20 Championship in August next year at Moi Stadium, Kasarani.
Central Rift is field a string team of 75 athletes in various disciplines as they eye lion's share of slots in the provisional team to the next year's event.
The World Under-20 show was initially scheduled for July this year but was rescheduled to next year, owing to coronavirus pandemic.
The two-day event, starting Friday, will be crucial for Jepleting and Kipkirui who will be flying the Central Rift flag. According to AK Central Rift secretary Kennedy Tanui, the region did not host any trials to select the team but organised training camps.
“Our focus was to ensure the young athletes run well at the nationals. As a region, we saw no need to start another process of hosting trials yet we had good training camps,” said Tanui. Jepleting will be competing in 1,500m alongside Doreen Kibet and Faith Chebichii while Kipkirui will feature in men’s high jump.
Others in the mix are Centrine Mateti, Hilda Jepkosgey and Deborah Chemutai in women’s 5,000m and Kennedy Kirui and Kipkirui Lang’at in the men's category.
Daniel Kiprono Kogo will be the only one in men’s 10,000m race and so will be Sharon Chemadala in women’s 800m.
