Emotions run high as Kenya team is picked

By CHRIS MUSUMBA

Emotions ran high, some dreams were shattered while others came alive on Saturday as 25 of the country’s finest athletes on the day penned their names as the next patriots to fly the national flag high at the 39th IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, on March 28.

In a race that Kenya has won the overall title 26 out of the 37 times it has been staged, it was always going to be tough to select the final representatives from thousands of elite long distance runners the country is famed for.

The list had been whittled down to just 410 for Saturday’s trials at Uhuru Gardens and only six in each of the four events - senior men 12km, senior women 8km, junior men 8km and junior women 6km - were to make the cut.

It thus came as no surprise as egos were hurt, dreams attained and missions accomplished for the athletes. There will be no Eliud Kipchoge, Titus Mbishei, Mark Kiptoo or Elizabeth Mueni in the team that will carry Kenya’s flag.

Instead, it would be an issue of trial and error as Kenya tries to hold on to the team title and make every effort to wrest the individual titles in the junior women’s, junior men’s and senior men’s races from the grip of Ethiopians.

And for the second time in a row, Kenya will go to battle without its iconic head coach Julius Kirwa. The army man is away on another national mission in Kinshasa, a peace keeping assignment with the United Nations.

However, it will be youngster Linet Masai, 19, who will shoulder the country’s expectations as she, for the second time, battles the Ethiopian dominance in the senior women 8km race. She will, however, lean on the experienced shoulders of Lineth Chepkurui and Margaret Wangare to rock their opponent’s boat.

Others in the team are Emily Muge, Ann Wanjiru and Gladys Chepngeno. In the senior men’s race, Paul Tanui has a point to prove. Denied a podium slot in last junior race last year in Amman, he returns to Poland keen to stop anyone from taking the crown from his grip in the 12km race.

Tanui will serve with Lucas Rotich, Joseph Ebuya, Hosea Macharinyang, Leonard Komon, Richard Mateelong and Mathew Kisorio. Esther Chemutai, the girl who gave way for Mercy Cherono to clinch a double in Mauritius, got her chance and failed to utilise it.

But Chemutai, the grand daughter of veteran Olympian Ben Jipcho, will now forget their difference as they forge a partnership in the junior women’s 6km race. They will have Nelly Chebet, Faith Chepngetich, Alice Aprot and Purity Cherotich to help them.

The junior men’s 8km, dubbed the race of unpredictable, will have Japheth Korir, fifth in Amman in 2009 helped by Charles Chebet, Caleb Mwangangi, Paul Mutero, Gideon Kipketer and Isaiah Kiplagat, the world youth 3,000m champion. Henry Alukhaba is the team manager assisted by Paul Kerioko while Elizabeth Mathwe is chaperon. Peter Nduhio and Japheth Kariakim are the physiotherapists.

Squad:

6km junior women – Nelly Chebet, Purity Cherotich, Faith Chepngetich, Mercy Cherono, Alice Aprot, Esther Chemutai.
8km junior men – Charles Chebet, Paul Mutero, Caleb Mwangangi, Japheth Korir, Gideon Kipketer, Isaiah Kiplagat.
8km senior women – Linet Masai, Lineth Chepkurui, Margaret Wangare, Emily Muge, Ann Wanjiru, Gladys Chepngeno.
12km senior men – Paul Tanui, Lucas Rotich, Joseph Ebuya, Hosea Macharinyang, Leonard Komon, Richard Mateelong, Mathew Kisorio.
Coaches - David Leting, John ‘Warm-up’ Mwithiga, Charles Mathu.