By CHRIS MUSUMBA
Vincent Kiprop, the silver medallist over the 8km distance in the 2007 World Cross-country Championship in Mombasa, will be at centre focus in Saturday’s Armed Forces championship at Kahawa Garisson. And over at Ngong Race Course, top female athletes Vivian Cheruiyot and Linet Masai, who have been consistent in their stint on the European circuit, will launch their home campaign at the Kenya Police cross-country championship.
Also available will be Milcah Chemos, Grace Momanyi and Sylvia Kibet. Kiprop went under after starring in Mombasa, and since he graduated from the mandatory nine-month military training, he is yet to get his groove back.
He is the Armed Forces’ 12km senior men’s champion, making him the target as his rivals plot his downfall. There will be youngster Joseph Ebuya, who recently beat Kenenisa Bekele in Edinburgh, Barnabas Kosgei, winner in 2008, and William Chebon who triumphed in 2007 together with World Military Games 10,000m champion Mark Kiptoo and Sammy Kipketer.
National championships
In the women’s race, Lineth Chepkurui and Olympic 1,500m champion Nancy Jebet Lagat will battle it out. Doris Chengeiywo is also expected to make a return as is Veronica Nyaruai. However, Moses Masai, the world 10,000m bronze medallist, will be missing in the Police championship as he is battling a bout of malaria.
“I am disappointed that I will not be in Nairobi to run on Saturday. I am still not strong enough to run as I am just recovering from malaria. But I will be available for the national championships,” said Masai from his base in Iten. But he has seen off his sister, Linet Masai, who will compete in the race.
Linet is the world 10,000m champion and was edged out by Florence Kiplagat in Amman, Jordan, in March at the World Cross-country Championship. “Linet is gone to run in Nairobi. I pray that she wins,” said Masai.
Bronze medallist
Linet will come under attack from World 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot, and Kibet. Both Cheruiyot and Kibet have raced in Europe and will seek to translate their good fortune abroad by winning at home. “They have all been to Europe. We have been training with them in Iten and I am sure they will turn out,” said Linet.
In the men’s race, Sammy Kitwara and Micah Kogo will renew their rivalry. Kogo, the Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist, will seek to edge out sensation Kitwara, as he launches his season campaign. The Armed Forces race will be graced by Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) president Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, who arrives in the country today. The event will be preceeded by a 15km road race.
Peter Angwenyi, Athletics Kenya public relations officer, confirmed Malboum will be present to see his fellow army men battle it out for honours at both the cross-country meeting and the 15km road race. Both events will be at Kahawa Garrison. Malboum was in the country last week although he was in transit to Dubai, and spared time to get a briefing on the organisation progress of the championship.
The CAA president will be able to watch the 2007 Mombasa World Cross-country Championship silver medallist Kiprop and veteran road runner Linet Chepkurui as they battle it out in defence of the titles they won in last year’s competition.
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