Kenya will not send athletes who featured in the World Athletics cross country championships in Bathurst Australia to the East Africa under 20/18 championships set for next month in Dar es Salam, Tanzania.
Coach Robert Ng’isirei says the players have been rested because they are a potential team for the Africa Under 20/18 championships that will be staged in Lusaka, Zambia in April.
"We want them to rest because they have just landed in the country and it will be inhuman for us to force them to run. They will be exhausted, hence killing their career early enough,” Ng’isirei said.
He said that as a man in charge of juniors in Bathurst where the under 20 women won silver at the overall results, the under 20 boys and girls performed well and "we don’t want them to burn out."
“We won silver in girls under 20 and gold in boys under 20, giving us a good start of the year. For us to continue dominating the continent, we should not kill their career at the tender age,” he said.
With the selection of the team heading to Tanzania, Ng'isirei said they have a good team that will dominate the region after hosting a successful trials at the Nyayo National Stadium.
"We have seen the performance of these young people and they have proved that they are ready to represent this country. With such, we shall dominate the region come next month," he said.
Beatrice Machoka was the victor in 400m under 18 category after clocking 56.03 ahead of Mercy Bosibori (59.17) and Magdalene Chelang’a (1:00.46).
In under 18 girls, Nancy Cherop won the 3,000m title in 9:05.67 ahead of Miriam Chemutai (9:05.76) and Margaret Ngoiri (9:10.81) was third.
Makueni’s Nelson Simiren won the under 18 1,500m title when he timed 3:44.27 ahead of Nandi’s Collins Kibiwott (3:45.48) and Franklin Kimutai from North Rift taking the third position in 3:46.31.
As Simiren topped the boys’ race, Diana Chepteek won the under 18 1,500m title in 4:24.67 beating Varsity Chepchirchir (4:30.36) and Faith Chemutai (4:38.27).
Justas Nyamai won the under 20 5,000m title in 13:14.71 ahead of Edwin Kimosong (13:48.08) and Kibet Ndiwa (13:48.22).
