Kiptoo, Chebet optimistic of good weekend outing
Silas Kiptoo and Sandrafelis Chebet are optimistic of a good outing during the final stop of the Athletics Kenya (AK) Cross Country series at the Uhuru Gardens next Saturday.
AK intends to pick Team Kenya during the national championships/trials for the Africa Cross Country Championships planned for April 8 in Lome, Togo.
Sandrafelis and Kiptoo showed determination to win their races during the Nairobi Region Cross Country that happened at the Posta Grounds along Ngong Road on Saturday.
All athletes who competed at Posta were in agreement the course was the toughest as they had to contend and compete in a sodden course.
Perhaps, the course was so frightening that World U20 Champion Beatrice Chebet opted to give it a wide berth and wait for the nationals next weekend.
In the women’s 10km race, World Youth silver medalist Sandrafelis who represented Lang’ata and Caroline Gitonga from Kasarani exchanged leads as early as the first 2km and never looked back.
Experience could come in handy for the defending Champion who went on to win the race in a time of 35:07.2 having unleashing a devastating kick in the final kilometer to carry the day.
Gitonga was second in 35:10.2 while Sammary Cherotich from Dagoretti was third in 37:15.1 to also qualify for the nationals.
Chebet said despite expecting stiff competition at the nationals, she is confident of making it to the team for Africa Cross Country Championships.
“Today it was all about fighting to retain my crown. The conditions were not favourable therefore time was not really an issue.
It had to be slow given the course was extremely muddy,” said Sandrafelis.
“ With my friend Beatrice not running today, I was not really worried about opposition. Gitonga did her best to stay with me until the final kilometre.
She did well since it could not have been good to run in front alone for all that time,” disclosed the winner who had lots of hope in her own final kick.
