Recruits eye honours at Police Championships

Rhonex Kipruto (right) crosses the line to win the men's 10km race ahead of Michael Kibet

Rhonex Kipruto (right) crosses the line to win the men's 10km race ahead of Michael Kibet during the Kenya Police Service Cross Country Championships at Ngong Racecourse in Nairobi on January 07, 2021. 

Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • In sprints, the returning Eunice Kadogo will defend her women’s 100m and 200m titles against the national 100m record holder Maximilla Imali and Millicent Ndoro.
  • Peter Mwai will put his 100m and 200m titles on the line, while Joan Cherono will defend her 400m title.

A group of elite recruit athletes are set to illuminate the Kenya Police Service Athletics Championships starting Thursday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

The 2019 World 10,000m bronze medallist Rhonex Kipruto, the 2018 World Under-20 champion 5,000m Beatrice Chebet, Sandra Chebet, Mary Moraa Abel Kipsang and Agnes Ngumbi will make their first appearances at the Police meet.

The newcomers either graduated from Kenya Police College towards the end of last year or have just been recruited.

With men’s 10,000m defending champion Geoffrey Kamworor missing in action, the onus will be on Kipruto, where he is due to battle the likes of seasoned Josphat Kibet and Joseph Kiptum in the 25-lap race.

Kipruto, the current 10km road race world record holder, who represented Kenya at the Tokyo Olympic Games last year, finishing ninth, is fresh from winning the New York City Half Marathon in 1:00:30 on March 20 this year.

Kipruto, the 2018 World Under-20 10,000m champion, has a personal best of 26:50.16 in 10,000m from his victory at Stockholm in 2019.

Chebet, the 2019 World Cross Country Under-20 champion, will be on the roll in women’s 5,000m where she will face defending champion Hyvin Kiyeng, who is also the Tokyo Olympics 3,000m steeplechase bronze medallist, and World 5,000m champion Margaret Chelimo.

Also in contention in the women’s 5,000m is Margaret Wangare, who will lead the women's marathon team at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games due for July 28 to August 8 this year.

Chebet, who has just been recruited to the forces, has competed in several races this season, finishing second at the Elgoibar Juan Muguerza Cross-Country in Spain and Cross Country Cup de Hannut in Belgium in January and February this year.

The 22-year-old also settled fourth at the Memorial Agnes Tirop Cross Country in February and was placed 10th in women’s 3,000m on her debut at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

Moraa, Simiu and Kipsang represented Kenya in women’s 800m, 5,000m and 1,500m at the Tokyo Olympics. Moraa graduated last year, while Simiu and Kipsang have just been recruited to the forces.

Simiu, the national 5,000m champion, who finished fourth at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade last month, will go head-to-head with defending champion James Kibet in the men’s 5,000m that will also feature another recruit Robert Kiprop.

Moraa, the national 400m champion, who won the women’s 400m during the First Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting and 800m during the third leg this year, is favourite in the women’s 800m and 400m races.

Moraa reached the women's 800m semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Kipsang will be eager to rule the roost in the men’s 1,500m, having just claimed bronze in 1,500m at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade.

Kipsang broke the Olympic Record when winning the men’s 1,500m semi-final in 3:31.65, but would settle fourth in the final.

Kipsang is likely to meet defending champion Bethwel Birgen and former World 1,500m champion Elijah Manang’oi, who is making a return after serving a doping violation ban.

World 5,000m silver medallist Margaret Chelimo is all set to defend the women’s 10,000m title against a strong field that has seasoned Stacy Ndiwa, Edith Chelimo ansd Pascalia Chepkorir among others.

In sprints, the returning Eunice Kadogo will defend her women’s 100m and 200m titles against the national 100m record holder Maximilla Imali and Millicent Ndoro.

Peter Mwai will put his 100m and 200m titles on the line, while Joan Cherono will defend her 400m title.