• Apart from Kifle, other foreigners who have confirmed participation include Collins Kgadima and Keaton Stansfeld of South Africa, and Peter Gidoska of Tanzania.
•Speaking during the official launch, race director Barnaba Korir urged athletes to continue registering in numbers.
Image: FILE
The World bronze medallist for the men’s 3000m steeplechase Abraham Kibiwott, the 2022 national cross country champion Grace Loibach, and Immaculate Anyango are among the latest elite athletes who have been confirmed for the third edition of the Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour at Lobo Village in Eldoret.
Kibiwott will be in action in the senior men’s 10km race, where he will battle it out with the 2018 World Half Marathon silver medalist Aron Kifle of Eritrea, the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games champion Edwin Bett of Kenya and Vincent Maiyo among others.
Apart from Kifle, other foreigners who have confirmed participation include Collins Kgadima and Keaton Stansfeld of South Africa, and Peter Gidoska of Tanzania.
The 20-year-old Loibach and Anyango will be similarly in action in the senior women’s race, where they will pit their wits against others including last year’s runner-up at the Prague Half Marathon, Janet Chepngetich as well as runner-up at the Dublin Marathon, Joan Kipyatich.
Others include World Half Marathon bronze medalist Catherine Amanang’ole and Caroline Jepkorir.
Registration is ongoing with the deadline set for three days before February 3 competition.
Speaking during the official launch, race director Barnaba Korir urged athletes to continue registering in numbers.
“The registration is still on so we encourage them to continue registering. We expect this year’s event to be much bigger and better than the last edition,” Korir said.
The one-day event will be held across eight categories of competition including senior men’s and women’s 10km race, under 20 men’s 8km, under 20 women’s 6km, under 18 boy’s 5km, under 18 girls’ 5km and kids athletics (boys and girls).
Elsewhere, World Road Running Half Marathon bronze medallist Catherine Reline and 2018 Commonwealth Games 5,000m bronze medalist Edward Pingua Zakayo are eyeing both the World Cross Country Championships in March and the Paris Olympic Games in August.
Reline won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Road Running Championships behind the champion Peres Jepchirchir and Margaret Chelimo in an all-Kenyan podium sweep.
“I missed out on world cross country last year but this time I want to try my best,” said Reline, who was the winner of the 2023 Chemususu Half Marathon. Reline also missed a chance to compete at the 2021 Olympics after failing to get a qualifying time.
“It was disappointing to miss the trip to the Tokyo Olympics but I believe I will be in the mix for Paris going by my training and preparations,” added Reline.
Zakayo said he has never represented the country in major championships apart from the World Under-20 Championship.
He said he has been missing out on many occasions like the World Cross Country, World Championships, and Olympic Games but now wants to change that.
“I want to make 2024 my year after healing from a hip injury. I want to run well and represent Kenya at the global cross-country show and Olympic Games. I have been battling an injury but I am now well,” he noted.
He said he would have loved to have gone Valencia 10km but missed the opportunity.