Frankfurt Marathon champion, Caroline Kilel staged a breathtaking victory over Commonwealth 10,000m champion and home favourite, Grace Momanyi, as Mombasa World Cross silver medallist Vincent Kiprop annihilated the field during the fifth KCB/AK National Cross Country meet in Kisii.
Staged at the scenic Kisii Golf Club, Philemon Rono and Sheila Chemuet completed the quartet of winners in the men’s 8km and women’s 6km junior races.
With the race for the March 20 Punta Umbria World Cross getting to the business end, the Kisii meet witnessed top notch races especially in the senior women’s 8km race where local darling, Momanyi, who clinched the 25-lap Commonwealth title in Delhi, made her competitive return.
In the most open event of the day, Momanyi, Kilel, Pamela Lisoreng, who was eighth at 2006 Fukuoka World Cross (junior) and Leonidah Mosop surged to the lead at the second loop in the topsy-turvy course.
Soon, Kilel, who raced to the 2:23:25 course record at Frankfurt in October, was the only hurdle to Momanyi sealing a home victory. With the finish in sight, the two duelled in a neck-to-neck mad scram for victory which ended with the marathoner (29:59.5) beating the Commonwealth champion (30:00.5) at the tape.
"I was not expecting to win since I came here to stretch my legs and gauge my strength. The course was difficult but we had a great race," Kilel who is preparing for April’s Boston Marathon, told FeverPitch.
"This was my first race since Delhi and I have not trained much. My aim is to make the World Cross team and I’m pleased with my performance and congratulations to her (Kilel)," Momanyi, who won the nationals in 2008 added. Lisoreng (30:15.0) beat Mosop (30:38.5) to the last podium place.
Facing series frontrunners like John Chepkwony, who won in Embu (fourth) and Kipkelion (second) as well as Charles Kibet, the victor in Kapsokwony (third) and runner-up in Kipkelion, no one rated the returning military officer Chepkok.
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