Cross Country season blasts off in Machakos
Nickson Lesiyia leads the pack in the senior men Athletics Kenya Southern Cross Country at Machakos People’s Park on January 30, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Kenyans’ road to next year’s World Cross Country Championships begins Saturday
Kenya’s journey to the World Cross Country Championships due on February 18 in Bathurst, Australia, begins in earnest on Satuday at the Machakos People’s Park, Machakos County.
Over 300 athletes are expected at the First Athletics Kenya Cross Country Championships at the Machakos People’s Park.
Kapsopkwony will stage the Second Athletics Kenya Cross Country Championships on October 29 followed by the third event on November 12 in Sotik, Bomet County.
The fourth meet will be on November 26 in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County.
Iten will be the venue for the fifth and last AK Cross Country meet on December 10.
The counites Cross Country Championships will be staged on December 17 in different venues.
The Kenya Prisons Service Cross Country Championships will also be staged on December 17 at the Kenya Prisons Training College, Ruiru.
On January 6, the Kenya Defence Forces Cross Country Championships at Ulinzi Sports Complex and National Police Service Cross Country Championships will be held.
University Cross Country Championships planned for Kabarak University, Nakuru, the National Youth Service Cross Country Championships at Ngong Racecourse and Kenya Wildlife Services Cross Country Championships in Lobo Village, Uasin Gishu will be held on January 7.
The Regional Country Championships will then be staged on January 7 before the big one, the National Cross Country Championships on January 21 at the Kenya Prisons Training College, Ruiru.
Here is where the national team will be picked for the World Cross Country Championships.
The Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Tour, a World Athletics Cross Country Gold Tour event, will be held on February 4 at the Lobo Village.
The reigning World Cross Country champion Hellen Obiri, who is also the world 10,000m silver medallist, and Commonwealth 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Simiu won last year’s Machakos senir races.
“We expect another stellar cast field from the Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service and the regions, this being the first event,” said AK Southern Region deputy secretary Joseph Ilovi.
“Machakos meet is a darling for many athletes to open their season. Be sure of a quality field."
Ilovi said the meeting will start at 9am, featuring men and women's under-20 and senior men and women's 10km.
There will also be the universal relay race.
