Changes as Team Kenya to World cross country is named

Team Kenya to this year’s World Athletics Cross Country championship set for 18 February in Bathurst, Australia has been named with the team expected to leave the country on Monday (13).

Athletes who qualified for the global showpiece in a trials event held in December last year, alongside some reserve members, have been camping in Embu since January.

While Athletics Kenya (AK) had indicated that the top six finishers get an automatic slot with the seventh and eighth place are included in training as reserves, the list published by World Athletics points to changes in tune.

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“We had to include some athletes who were not part of the top eight and they did better in training so they get the chance to form part of Team Kenya. We are looking to field the best possible team hence the changes,” head coach Julius Kirwa explained.

The women’s senior team has included Commonwealth Games 5000m champion Beatrice Chebet who did not finish her race during the trials but has posted impressive results on the world athletics cross country tour.

She heads to the championship as the reigning Under-20 champion but will now be looking to clinch the senior title that was won by Hellen Obiri in 2019. Also making the list is Cinthia Chengeno who finished seventh during the trials.

2017 World Cross country champion Irene Cheptai who had finished third during the trials and had indicated that she would beginning for another title on the world stage has been dropped and so has Viola Chengeno who finished fifth during the December trials.

The men’s senior list remains unchanged as the top six finishers have been registered for the race on the world Athletics official list. Some changes have been effected in the junior teams.

Meanwhile, more than 230 athletes (134 men, 102 women) are entered for the individual senior races, while more than 150 (81 men, 73 women) will be in action in the U-20 races. 15 teams have been entered for the mixed relay.

The senior men’s podium finishers from the last edition in Aarhus in 2019 will clash again as defending champion Joshua Cheptegei and fellow Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo take on two-time winner Geoffrey Kamworor.

World 10,000m champion Letesenbet Gidey, a two-time winner of the U-20 title, will seek to earn her first senior world cross-country title in the women’s race. Chebet and Eritrea’s Rahel Daniel are expected to provide tough opposition.

World U-20 champions Medina Eisa of Ethiopia, Faith Cherotich and Reynold Cheruiyot will all feature in the U20 races.

Ethiopia will defend their title in the mixed relay, helped by world and Olympic steeplechase finalist Getnet Wale. Steeplechase world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech features on a strong Kenyan team.

Team Kenya to World Cross Country Championships

Senior men

Daniel Simiu

Geoffrey Kamworor

Kibiwott Kandie

Nicholas Kimeli

Emmanuel Kiprop

Sabastian Kimaru

 Under-20 Men

Reynold Kipkorir

Daniel Kinyanjui

Dennis Kipkurui

Ishmael Kirui

Dennis Mutuku

Charles Rotich

Senior Women

Beatrice Chebet

Emily Chebet

Cinthia Chepngeno

Edinah Jebitok

Grace Loibach

Agnes Jebet

Under-20 Women

Diana Chepkemoi

Joyline Chepkemoi

Nancy Cherop

Diana Cherotich

Faith Cherotich

Pamela Kosgei