World 5000m silver medallist Beatrice Chebet and former half marathon record holder Kibiwott Kandie lead a star-studded field for the World Cross Country Championships national trials at the Kenya Prisons Training College in Ruiru on Saturday.
In the senior women's 10km category, Chebet will be competing against 2017 world cross-country champion Irene Cheptai and Lucy Mawia, who finished second overall in last year's World Cross-Country Tour.
The 2013 world 5000m silver medallist Mercy Cherono, Judy Kiyeng, Africa 10,000m champion Caroline Nyaga and 2019 world 3000m SC champion Beatrice Chepkoech will also be in the mix. Others include Sandrafelis Chebet and Virginia Nyambura.
In the senior men’s 10km race, Kandie will battle it out with Commonwealth 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Simiu, world 10,000m silver medallist Stanley Waithaka, current world 10km road race record holder Rhonex Kipruto and Geoffrey Kamworor.
Others to watch include 2021 world under-20 3000m SC champion Amos Serem, 2018 world U-20 5000m champion Edward Zakayo, Commonwealth 3000m SC champion Abraham Kibiwott and Daniel Mateiko.
In the Under-20 women's 6km category, world Under-20 3000m bronze medallist Nancy Cherop and Cardiff Cross Challenge winner Pamela Kosgei will lead the field in a quest for the top honours.
Samuel Kibathi and Emmanuel Wafula will be among the top athletes to watch in the men's under-20 cadre during national trials.
2011 World Cross-Country 6km silver medallist Purity Cherotich will be seeking to make an impact in the 2km senior race. World under-20 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyony, Noah Kibet, Leonard Bett and Abel Kipsang start favourites in the men's 2km race.
For the 6km Under-20 women, 8km Under-20 men and 10km senior (men and women) categories, the first six athletes to cross the finish line will make the cut.
The seventh and eighth athletes across the line will be selected as reserves. The 2km senior men and women categories will be used to select the mixed relay team where the first three athletes across the line in both cadres will earn automatic qualification. The fourth and fifth will make the reserves list.
All the Under-20 athletes should have been born between 2004 and 2007. All the selected athletes must report to the call room at 7 am on the day of the trials. The athletes will be accommodated for one night on Saturday to allow AK to process documentation.
All the athletes are required to have the Covid-19 certificate and should be able to meet their own travel and accommodation costs to the trials.
