Millions to be won at Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Championships
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 13.02.25. | 17:07
Athletes who finish fourth, fifth, and sixth will receive $3,000 (Ksh 390,000), $2,500 (Ksh 325,000), and $2,000 (Ksh 260,000), respectively.
The organizers of the fourth edition of the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country World Tour have announced hefty prize money for the event's winners.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Lobo Village in Eldoret.
This year’s edition will feature the highest prize money since the race’s inception. Unlike in previous editions, which rewarded only the top eight athletes, the top 15 will now be awarded.
Athletes will also benefit more from the race after Athletics Kenya (AK) decided to award young prospects cash prizes for those who finish in the top ten.
The winners of the senior category will walk away with $6,000 (Ksh 780,000), while those who finish second and third will be awarded $5,000 (Ksh 650,000) and $4,000 (Ksh 520,000), respectively.
Athletes who finish fourth, fifth, and sixth will receive $3,000 (Ksh 390,000), $2,500 (Ksh 325,000), and $2,000 (Ksh 260,000), respectively.
Those finishing seventh, eighth, and ninth will receive $1,500 (Ksh 195,000), $1,000 (Ksh 130,000), and $800 (Ksh 104,000), while the 10th, 11th, and 12th place finishers will get $600 (Ksh 78,000) and $400 (Ksh 52,000).
The 13th, 14th, and 15th place finishers will walk away with $200 (Ksh 26,000) each.
Winners of the U20 category will be awarded $1,250 (Ksh 162,500), while second and third place finishers will pocket $1,000 (Ksh 130,000) and $800 (Ksh 104,000), respectively. Athletes finishing fourth and fifth will receive $600 (Ksh 78,000) and $400 (Ksh 52,000).
Speaking during the media launch, AK Chairman of Youth Development Barnabas Korir promised a unique race, noting that it is an excellent way to motivate athletes and live up to the race’s billing.
“The most important thing that I would love to speak about is not only the performance but also the mouth-watering prize money. The winners will walk away with one of the highest prize purses paid to our athletes in the cross-country series. Other cross-country events typically pay up to number eight, but we decided to extend payments to the 15th-place finishers,” Korir said.
AK President Rtd. Gen. Jack Tuwei used the opportunity to call on athletes to avoid using performance-enhancing substances as they damage the country’s reputation. He further called for an end to vices such as gender-based violence and age cheating, noting that they tarnish the country’s image.
Kenya has applied to host the World Championships in 2029. "We have already appointed the director and a team to start planning for it, but we cannot be doing all this," Tuwei concluded.
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