News

Aprot recounts journey from maternity, eyes silverware

Thursday, January 13th, 2022 00:00 | By
Alice Aprot crosses the finish line to emerge fourth in the Kenya Prisons Cross Country Championships at the weekend. Photo/PD/DAVID NDOLO

Former Africa Cross Country champion Alice Aprot is targeting a huge and memorable show during the national Cross Country Championships set for January 22 in Eldoret.

Aprot, who made her comeback from maternity leave last year, said she has been working hard to rediscover her winning form.

A year after returning to the track following  a six -month sabbatical, Aprot competed at the Kenya Prisons Cross Country Championship at the Prisons Staff Training College in Ruiru last Saturday, finishing fourth in the senior women’s 10km race.

“Honestly, it has not been easy and the journey back to competition has been made possible due to a litany of sacrifices,” said the 2015 All Africa Games 5,000m bronze medalist.

Work extra hard

“For an athlete, taking even two weeks off is so much and you will need to work extra hard if you’re to effectively compete with the rest. My comeback has obviously been tested since the majority of my competitors have been training for long,” she added.

The Kericho-based prison warden admitted she has struggled to cut her weight after a significant period of inactivity.

“It has not been easy for me to cut weight. For me, the Prisons championship last year and the new season that has just unfolded have played a key role in my journey,” said the 2016 Africa 10,000m champion.

 Aprot, a sibling to former world cross country champion Joseph Ebuya, won the Kenya Prisons Service cross country titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

She believes a good show during the nationals might enable her to get a slot in the Kenyan team for the World Cross Country Tour event that will be held in Eldoret next month.

“Participation in the Tour event will be by invitation which means that if I perform well during the nationals, then I stand a chance to make the team,” added Aprot. 

Aprot also wants to fight for a place in team Kenya for the World Championships in Eugene or the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

More on News


ADVERTISEMENT