Faith Kipyegon, Vivian Cheruiyot headline Sirikwa Classic
Gold medalist Faith Kipyegon of Team Kenya celebrates after competing in the Women's 1500m Final on day four of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 18, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon.
What you need to know:
- The race Local Organising Committee chairman Ibrahim Hussein said that preparations are almost complete.
- "We are ready and security has been beefed up. We pray for an incident free event just like last year,” said Hussein.
The battle of Olympic, World and Commonwealth champions beckons in women’s 10 kilometre race at the Sirikwa Classic World Athletics Cross Country Gold Tour on Saturday at the Lobo Village, Eldoret.
Olympic and world 1,500m champion Faith Chepngétich will take on multiple world champion Vivian Cheruiyot and 2009 world 10,000m champion Linet Masai in the race saturated with stars.
Cheruiyot, the 2016 Olympic 5,000m and 2011 World Cross Country champion, and Masai are making a return from maternity, having competed last in 2020.
Chepngétich, the two-time World Cross Country Under-20 champion, said the championship forms part of her preparations for a busy season where she hopes to defend her title at the World Championships due August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary
“Cross country is where I started my running career and I am glad to be racing in Lobo and running the event after almost six years,” said Chepng’etich.
“I haven’t done my speed work yet ...what I have been doing is just a buildup but I am looking forward to a good race.”
Chepng’etich, who has two World Cross Country junior titles from 2011 in Punta Umbria and 2013 in Bydgoszcz, started training for the new season in November last year in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Chepng’etich had a good season last year recapturing the world 1,500m title after clocking three minutes and 52.96 seconds in Oregon, United States.
She then won the Monaco leg of the Diamond League in a national record time of 3: 3:50.37, missing the world record by just three tenths of a second.
“I am back,” declared Cheruiyot, who won the 2011 Daegu and 2015 Beijing World 10,000m and 2009 Berlin and 2011 Daegu World 5,000m titles.
“I am trying to cut down on my weight and for sure it’s coming out nicely. My body is responding well to the buildup,” explained the 39-year-old Cheruiyot.
Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medallist Sheila Chepkirui, who is fresh from finishing second at the National Cross Country 11 days ago, and 2017 London Marathon champion Bahraini Rose Chelimo are also in the mix.
Commonwealth Games champion 3,000m steeplechase champion Jackline Jepkoech, 2022 World Under-20 3,000m silver medalist Zenah Jemutai and Daisy Cherotich have also lined up.
Also in the mix are the 2016 World Half Marathon silver medallist Cynthia Limo, Africa 10,000m champion Caroline Nyaga, former national cross country champion Stacy Ndiwa, 2014 Commonwealth 3,000m steeplechase champion Purity Chepkirui and Africa 3,000m steeplechase bronze medalist Caren Chebet.
The men’s 10km line up has the World 10,00m silver medallist Stanley Waithaka and National cross country champion Charles Lokir among others.
The race Local Organising Committee chairman Ibrahim Hussein said that preparations are almost complete.
"We are ready and security has been beefed up. We pray for an incident free event just like last year,” said Hussein.
