Team Kenya leaves for Bathurst ahead of World Cross Country Championships

Athletics Kenya (AK), on Sunday 12 February, flagged off Team Kenya to this weekend's World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia where Kenyan athletes are set to take on world fields for the various global titles up for grabs. 

The team, selected in December last year after a one-day trial event held at the Prisons Training College-Ruiru, has been in camp for a month under coach Julius Kirwa and Robert Ngisirei. 

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Accompanied by officials and federation representatives, the team of 28 runners left the country early Monday morning for Doha, Qatar where they will have a layover before flying out to Sydney, Australia and then connect by road to Bathurst, 200km away. 

"The team has been in camp from 10 January and preparation have been great. The squad is composed of 13 women and 15 men who are ready to fly the Kenyan flag high. 

The weather in Bathurst is almost the same as what we are experiencing in Kenya as they are enjoying summer so our preparations in Embu have taken that into consideration. 

We also had time to look at the course well in time so we do not expect any surprises. We have trained for the terrains and all the obstacles we expect to face in this year's races," team manager Patrick Arandu offered. 

Arandu believes that the travelling team is the best Kenya has to offer and is confident of Kenya's chances of clinching not just individual medals but the team titles as well. 

"We know competition will be tough but we are heading to Bathurst to compete against the world and win. The individual titles are just as important as the team ones," he added. 

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 U20 races. 15 teams have been entered for the mixed relay.

Senior men (10km ) 

Daniel Simiu

Geoffrey Kamworor

Kibiwott Kandie

Nicholas Kimeli

Emmanuel Kiprop

Sabastian Kimaru

Under-20 Men (8km) 

Reynold Kipkorir

Daniel Kinyanjui

Dennis Kipkurui

Ishmael Kirui

Dennis Mutuku

Charles Rotich

Senior Women (10km) 

Beatrice Chebet

Emily Chebet

Cinthia Chepngeno

Edinah Jebitok

Grace Loibach

Agnes Jebet

Under-20 Women (10km) 

Diana Chepkemoi

Joyline Chepkemoi

Nancy Cherop

Diana Cherotich

Faith Cherotich

Pamela Kosgei