Ukrainian couple itching to taste Iten magic

Unfavourable weather aside, the urge and hunger to sample the terrains where Olympic marathon Eliud Kipchoge and marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum train, is what has brought some of visiting athletes to Sirikwa Classic Cross Country.

Ukrainian couple Mykola Mevsha and Maryna Nemchenko, who have been training in Poland for the last two years, and Hanne Maridal from Norway, will also pitch their training camp in Iten for the next two months.

Mevsha and his wife Nemchenko escaped the war between their country Ukraine and Russia that broke in February 2022 after invasion.

Mevsha and Nemchenko are excited to be in the country that has produced great runners in history and hope that the altitude training in Iten and the competition at Lobo, will give them the much needed mileage in road running.

“My main focus is to improve on her performance this year as I plan to run one half marathon among other road races,” said Nemchenko, who has personal best of 1:13:15 in half marathon and 2:35:31 in marathon.

“It’s really exciting to be in Kenya and I have heard a lot about the nice weather conditions in Iten and we decided to train here for a short period of two months,” said Nemchenko.

Nemchenko, who has not seen her parents for the last two years said that she is working hard despite missing them and her goal is to always make them proud.

“We shifted our training base to Poland when the war started. I left my parents behind but I’m glad they are doing well and as the season starts, I just want to make them proud,” she Nemchenko, adding that the weather in Lobo is favourable unlike the snowing Poland.

“Peace is always a good thing and I am hoping that the war will end and we return home safely,” said Nemchenko.

Mevsha said that the tough conditions in Lobo will prepare them well for major races.

“Competing in the afternoon will be tough because we have just come from low altitude and temperatures,” said Mevsha, who is excited to brush shoulders with some of the world beaters like world 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Simiu and world half marathon champion Sabastian Sawe.

“The Kenyan athletes have been doing well and I’m just looking forward to a good race. They say if you can’t beat them join them. I am here to enjoy this beautiful country,” said Mevsha, who is also eager to return home with his wife after the war ends.

Maridal, who is eager to meet Eliud Kipchoge, was all smiles after she landed in the country to compete at Sirikwa as she prepares for the Vienna Marathon due for April 21, this year, in Austria.

Maridal hopes that the training in Iten will help her post the required times to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games slated for July 26 to August 11 in the French capital.

“It will always be my joy to race against these world beaters and the good thing is that I will be able to sample some of their training programs for the next one month,” said Maridal, who is targeting the Olympics qualifying standards of 2:26:50.

Vienna will be Maridal’s maiden marathon though she has a personal best 1:12:47 in the half marathon.

Maridal is the Norwegian national 10,000m champion.

Iten has been voted as one of the best towns that has favourable conditions for training and this has seen many international athletes preparing for the season troop to the region.