Kenya’s cross country team departs on Tuesday for Bydgoszcz, Poland, keen to retain the team titles won last year and capture the elusive individual crowns as well.Florence Kiplagat was Kenya’s only winner of an individual title last year in Amman, Jordan, and the team is under immense pressure to win more of the four individual titles on offer.
Two of the top athletes expected to make amends for missing the gold medal last year are World 10,000m champion Linet Masai and Mercy Cherono, the World Junior 3,000m champion.
After a rigorous training programme at the St. Marks Teachers Training College in Kigari, Kenya is ready to take on the world even in the relatively cold Eurpean conditions.
“I look forward to a good race. It has been good in the training camp and now we must show our ability to the world,” said Masai.
Denied the gold medal in Amman by Kiplagat, Masai is keen to seize her chance and maintain the senior women 8km title in Kenya after her compatriot failed to make the team due to an Achilles injury.
In Amman, she cruised to the lead from the sixth kilometre only to lose the battle with three metres to the finish line.
Her task has, however, been made even harder with news of the return of Tirunesh Dibaba from injury.
“I welcome her back. We have meet twice this season each of us won one race. But that will be of no use when we clash in Bydgoszcz. I will concentrate on doing my part,” she said.
For Cherono, the idea of winning every gold medal available in the junior category is inspiring more to do well in Poland.
She will graduate to the senior cadre next year and is not letting her only chance to win the gold medal in the 6km junior women’s race slip through her fingers.
“I was 23rd in Mombasa, missed the trip to Edinburgh and returned in Amman to win silver. Now I think there is only one target and that is gold in Poland,” she said.
Cherono has been struggling with a hamstring injury which forced her to finish fourth at the national trials.
But that has since healed and she is ready to tackle her opponents head on.
“I am now fully fit. I have been restricting the number of competition this season to let it heal. But the main challenge I expect is from Ethiopia. I do not know whether Genzebe Dibaba will be running. I saw she contested in the senior race in the Ethiopian trials, which she did not finish,” said Cherono.
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