Zakayo eyeing world cross country team

pFollowing his victory at the season-opening World Athletics Cross Country tour gold event held on the weekend in Cardiff, 2018 World U-20 5,000m champion Edward Zakayo says his big goal on the road this season is to make it to the world championship.

Having been postponed since 2021 the World Athletics Cross Country Championships returns next year, scheduled for 18 February 2023 in Bathurst, Australia.

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Zakayo beat Ugandan duo of Joel Ayeko and Rogers Kibet with late surges on the last lap, finishing in 26:20. The two are Cross Country regulars with the former finishing the 2021/2022 season sixth in the World Athletics Cross Country rankings and the latter in fourth.

 “The race was good,” said Zakayo, who finished fourth over 10,000m at this year’s Commonwealth Games. “On the last lap I pushed a little bit and got 10m ahead but they came back to me so I tried again and I made it.

I felt as though I was not in shape after a busy year for me and I need some races in Kenya now because there is a lot of competition there and everyone is strong. The World Cross Country Championships will be a big goal for me.”

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Eighteen-year-old Pamela Kosgei, sister of world marathon record-holder Brigid Kosgei, had been a clear favourite for the women’s race. It was a first World Cross Country Tour event for the Kenyan, who finished fifth in the steeplechase at this year’s World U-20 Championships in Cali.

Her victory in Cardiff over 6.4km came in 20:21 with European indoor 3000m finalist Amelia Quirk taking second place in 20:34.

English cross-country champion Jess Gibbon was third (20:44) with Elle Twentyman came in fourth (20:50).

“It was a bit scary to start with, but I managed to win and enjoy it,” said Kosgei.

Additional information by world athletics