All roads lead to Eldoret for Sirikwa Classic

World Cross Country Championships junior champion Ishmael Kipkurui has set his eyes on the prize when he lines up for the senior men’s race at the Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Gold Tour on Saturday at the Lobo Village in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.

Kipkurui, who is a form four student at Sinonin High School in Baringo County, will be battling it out with his seniors as he prepares for the World Cross Country Championships where he will be eyeing to defend his title next month.

Excitement is already building up with athletes shifting their focus to an event which many athletes will be using as a build-up towards World Cross Country Championships national trials slated for March 9 at the Kenya Prisons Training College in Ruiru, Kiambu County.

The prize money for this year's edition is a total of Sh15,239,000 which will be shared among various events with the senior men and women categories the biggest beneficiaries.

The day will start with the boys' 13-16 years 2km race aged at 9.00am followed by the girls' 13-16 years 2km race at 9.20am. At 9.40am, boys 9-12 years will compete in the 1km race followed by the girls’ category at 9.55am.

The youngest category boys and girls aged 5-8 years will take part in the 500m race at 10.10am and 10.25am respectively.

This will pave the way for the senior women’s race aged 50 years and above 1km race at 10.40am with the men’s race aged 60 and above competing in the same distance from 11.00am.

At 11.20am, women’s 2km mixed relay for Team Kenya selection will take centre stage, followed by their men counterparts competing at 11.40am.

The Under-20 women race will launch the main event at 1.00pm with the junior men’s category starting at exactly 1.30pm.

The senior women’s 10km category will start at 2.20pm before the final race which is senior men’s 10km race at 3.00pm.

Thereafter, the federation is expected to name the team that will represent Kenya at the Africa Cross Country Championships in Tunis, Tunisia on February 25.  

A total of 596 athletes will be competing in the junior and senior categories with the senior men category recording the highest number of 207. The senior women category has attracted 151 athletes with the men’s junior category recording 116 while the women category will see 122 women compete.

The meet director Barnaba Korir said he was impressed by the huge turnout of athletes ahead of a busy 2024 calendar.

“We are in the third edition now and would like to thank the World Athletics for giving us a chance as a federation to organise the race. It has been growing every year and we hope it continues giving an opportunity to local athletes and the community to identify their talents,” said Korir.

Some of the international athletes who will be lining up for the global event include Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek, Bahrain’s Rose Chelimo, Glenrose Xaba from South Africa and Grace Jackson Charles from Tanzania.

Others in the women’s senior race are, Hanne Maridal (Norway), Roselidah Jepketer (Bahrain), Kate Maltby (Great Britain), Marina Nemchenko (Ukraine), Paule Lena (France), Risper Biyhaki Gesabwa (Mexico) and Stella Rutto (Romania).

The invited international athletes in men’s category include Abraham Filmon from Great Britain, Ezra Chelimo (Uganda), Baraka Kaboyi Andre (DRC), Peter Gidoska (Tanzania), Frere Mehdi (France), Alex Jodidio (Switzerland), Alex Paluku Kambale (DRC) and Collins Kgadima (South Africa).

Others are, Felix Nadeborn (Germany), Mevsha Mykola (Ukraine), Hendrik Pfeiffer (Germany), Frederic Pierre (France), Michael Sierge (France), Keaton Stansfeld (South Africa), Julius Gavril Stefan (Romania), Ulbrich Tobias (Germany), Shafar Vitaly (Ukraine) and John Wele (Tanzania).