World Cross Country: Kenyans keep the faith in Cherotich
Faith Cherotich wins the women's Under-20 6km race on December 10, 2022 in Ruiru.
What you need to know:
- She has already conquered age-group competition for the last two years, winning the steeple at home in 2021, followed by a similar winning way one year later in Cali, Colombia, with an impressive time of nine minutes, 16.14 seconds.
In Bathurst, Australia
Faith Cherotich, the World Under-20 Championships steeplechase champion, leads her compatriots with incredible performance records at international level determined to win the junior women’s title here on Saturday.
This will offer her impetus to continue her good form on track aiming for gold in this year’s World Championships in Athletics.
She has already conquered age-group competition for the last two years, winning the steeple at home in 2021, followed by a similar winning way one year later in Cali, Colombia, with an impressive time of nine minutes, 16.14 seconds.
Nancy Cherop, the world under-20 steeplechase bronze medallist, is also among Kenya’s medal hopes, along with under-20 fifth-place finisher Pamela Kosgei, and Joyline Chepkemoi.
Dominant winner
Uganda’s Stella Chesang, the 2018 Commonwealth 10,000m champion, was a dominant winner of the recent Ugandan Cross Country Championships and is keen to improve on her 21st-place finish from the 2019 World Cross.
She is joined in the Ugandan team by world under-20 5,000m bronze medallist Prisca Chesang.
Ethiopia’s Melknat Wudu already has three global medals to her name, but she will be seeking her first gold on Saturday.
In 2021, she earned a 3,000m bronze and 5,000m silver at the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi. She concentrated her efforts on just the 5,000m for the 2022 World Under-20 Championships, but once again came away with the silver medal.
Compatriot Medina Eisa beat Wudu to the world under-20 5,000m title in Cali last year.
She also clocked a 3,000m personal best time of 8:41.42 – taking her to fourth on the world under-18 all-time list.
Lemlem Nibret, meanwhile, was the surprising winner of Ethiopia’s trial race, beating both Wudu and Eisa.
She hasn’t represented Ethiopia at a major event, but she has previously raced overseas, clocking a 5,000m PB of 15:23.93 in Andujar last year.
