Action-hungry Reline now wants World Championships glory
Catherine Reline during a training session at Ndura Sports Complex, Kitale in Trans Nzoia County on April 14, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Reline, who is fresh from pacing at the London Marathon last month, is keen on grabbing a ticket in the long distance races when Kenya holds its national trials for the championships in July.
Chemususu Dam Half Marathon runners up Catherine Reline has set her sights on the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Reline, who is fresh from pacing at the London Marathon last month, is keen on grabbing a ticket in the long distance races when Kenya holds its national trials for the championships in July.
She was speaking during the launch of the 9th edition of Chemususu Dam Half Marathon in Eldama Ravine in Baringo County on Wednesday where the top 10 athletes who competed in last year’s edition were rewarded.
Reline said she now wants to win the half marathon this year.
“I have competed in a few races including pacing at the London Marathon and my target is to run on the track this season," she said.
Chemususu Dam Half Marathon race director Matthew Birir said that he was glad that the athletes who competed in the event all tested negative.
“Athletes who competed last year were all clean from the tests that were conducted by the Anti-doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK). We won’t allow any athlete using performance enhancing substances to compete in the race,” said Birir, who is the 1992 Olympics 3,000m steeplechase champion.
The race is also championing environmental conservation and they managed to plant 5,000 indigenous trees. Birir said their target is to plant more than 500,000 trees to increase the forest cover in the region.
“By planting trees, our goal is to make sure we have a clean environment and good air quality for our athletes and that will benefit the whole community in the end. We are also adding agriculture in our values because people must be in good health and during the race we shall be able to educate farmers,” added Birir.
The race chairman, Joseph Cheruiyot, said that they will be building a murram track at Chemususu Primary School so that athletes in the region can benefit.
“Apart from the climate action, we also want to improve one of the facilities which we believe will be able to help talents in the region and we are just waiting for the plan so that work can begin,” said Cheruiyot.
This year's edition will take place on November 11 and the prize money still stands at Sh250,000 for the winners in both categories. Top 10 finishers will also get a token this year.
