Cross country is coming home this week

In the next 48 hours, Kenya will again play host to another international athletics competition, this time at Lobo Village in Eldoret.

As athletics enthusiasts, we are all looking forward to the second edition of the World Cross Country Tour Gold - this time known as the Sirikwa Classic - which brings together hundreds of athletes from Kenya and beyond.

The guests on the roster are from Uganda, Tanzania, Eritrea, Sweden, Slovenia, Estonia, Bahrain and Qatar, among others.

With this mega-sports event in town, it is an apt opportunity for all of us to exhibit typical Kenyan hospitality and further cement our reputation as a sporting powerhouse.

One thing that is never in doubt is that Kenya is a sporty country; we are lovers of sport and derive much pleasure from watching our sports persons strut their stuff be it on the field or on track.

This was the case in Sunday’s ‘Mashemeji derby,’ for example as well as other past international events, such as World Under 18 and 20 Championships in 2017 and 2021 as well as last year’s Kip Keino Classic.

It is in recognition and honour of Kenyans' love for sports that the organisers of Saturday’s event have decided not to charge an entrance fee to access the venue.

Everyone from all corners of Kenya and the world is invited to come and spectate and gratify their sporty appetites by partaking in a delicious dish of athletics entertainment.

Those who have attended cross-country races will attest to the fact that they are usually a spectacle to behold as athletes pit their wits and grit against a challenging course that includes obstacles such as water puddles, steep hills and muddy pathways.

It is often said that any athlete who hacks cross country can succeed in other races, such as marathon or half marathon races, and track and field.

Approximately 7,000 spectators turned up at Lobo Village at the Agnes Tirop Memorial Cross Country Tour, which was the inaugural edition of this event.

Now that the covid-19 pandemic has subsided, we expect that the crowd on Saturday will surpass last year’s.

With the varied delicacy of entertainment on the menu, there should be no reason for any athletics fan to miss out on the Sirikwa Classic.

As with a baby, our desire is to grow this event to become bigger and better – an event that every athlete across the world looks forward to competing in.

Turn up on Saturday and play your part in making this event a success.

Korir is the chairman of Athletics Kenya’s Nairobi branch and Kip Keino Classic meet director. [email protected]