School Games: Hosts Rift Valley look to capitalise as athletics events start
What you need to know:
- Action will start with the 3000m steeplechase final at 9am followed by pole vault and high jump at the University of Eldoret track.
- Later in the afternoon, cross country will take place at Moi Girls Secondary School from 3pm with girls' 6km and boys’ 8km races.
Hosts Rift Valley Region will be hoping to shine as the athletics programme gets underway Wednesday morning on the second day of the Secondary Schools Term One National Games in Eldoret.
Action will start with the 3000m steeplechase final at 9am followed by pole vault and high jump at the University of Eldoret track.
Later in the afternoon, cross country will take place at Moi Girls Secondary School from 3pm with girls' 6km and boys’ 8km races.
The rest of the action will be completed on Thursday including the 10,000m race walk where Margaret Gati from Cheptonon High School in Nandi County, who has represented Kenya twice in the World Junior Championships, has set her sights on gold.
Gati holds the national under-20 10,000m race walk record of 49:05.09 set during the 2022 World Junior Championship in Cali, Colombia.
Gati race walked for Kenya at the 2021 World Junior Championships in Nairobi and 2022 event in Cali, Colombia.
“After winning the regional games two weeks ago, I went back to training to be able to improve my endurance. I know it will be a tough challenge but I’m equal to the task,” said Gati, a Form three student.
Her target is to win her specialty and also seal a double with the East Africa Secondary School Games title in Huye, Rwanda in August.
“Winning helps improve my confidence and I hope I succeed so that it helps build my profile and I get more opportunities,” she added.
She won the Rift Valley title after crossing the line in 24:19.0, a good 15 seconds ahead of Sera Njeri from Maela High School, Nakuru County who timed 25:34.9 while Brenda Ambai from Kamimei Secondary School settled for third place in 26:12.3.
Maureen Cherotich, who finished in seventh position at the World Under-20 Championships last year in Cali, will also be in action.
Cherotich, a form three student at Kalyet High School in Kericho County, will double up in the 5,000m and 10,000 races.
She also competed at the 2021 and 2022 editions of the World Under-20 Championships.
Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country junior 8km silver medallist Kevin Biwott will battle against his schoolmate Kevin Kiplagat in the cross country race.
The training mates are pre-race favourites but will need to be wary of Mattew Kipkogei (Kimuron High School), Peter Naibei (Bugaa High School), Joel Kiptoo (Moi High School, Kaptama), Joseph Abuga (Rusinga High School) and Dismas Okioma (Mogonga High School).
Wednesday's Athletics Programme
9am Pole Vault Girls Final
9am High Jump Boys Final
9am 3,000m SC Girls Final
9:45am 3,000m SC Boys Final
11am Pole Vault Boys Final
11am High Jump Girls Final
3pm Cross Country Girls Final
3.30pm Cross Country Boys Final
