S. OchiengTinderet to host National Mountain Running Championship
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 01.01.22. | 19:45
The event will be used to select some of the athletes that will represent Kenya at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships that will take place in Thailand in November
The second edition of Athletics Kenya (AK) National Mountain Running Championships will be held on Sunday 2 January 2022 in Tinderet, Nandi County where a number of athletes are expected to kick start the season.
The race which will see athletes participate in the men’s and women 10km senior category, 6km junior men and women follows the first successful edition that was held in Mt Longonot in Nakuru County in 2021.
Initially, the event had been planned for November 28 last year but was moved to January 2 due to changes in the World Mountain Running calendar.
Kenya’s Joyce Muthoni Njeru and Eritrea’s Petro Mamu take top honours at Trofeo Ciolo @WMRAmountainrun.
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) September 26, 2021
With the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships taking place in Chiang Mai, Thailand in November this year, officials from the federation are expected to use the event to pin down some of the very best athletes who will represent Team Kenya at the international event.
“We expect a good number of athletes and we are going to select a provisional team that will be under coaches before the final team is selected to represent the country during the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships,” Peter Angweny, AK’s Mountain Running Coordinator is quoted saying.
Tinderet to host National Mountain Running Championships https://t.co/7i92xGZyst pic.twitter.com/ztxtxbz1AJ
— Nation Africa (@NationAfrica) January 1, 2022
In the 2021 season, Kenyans dominated the less familiar athletic discipline the country is used to as Joyce Muthoni Njeru was crowned the overall women’s World Mountain Racing Association (WMRA) World Cup champion.
In the men’s category, Geoffrey Gikuni Ndungu managed to take third place in the overall World Cup that was won by Italy's Henri Aymonod with Hungary's Sandor Szabo finishing second overall.
According to World Athletics, Mountain races take place over an infinite variety of distance, ascent, descent and terrain. Distances range from short 15-minute sprints to long several hour treks, and there are courses that suit every ability and age group, and are designed to eliminate danger.
No equipment is allowed, so bags, sticks, ropes, compasses or similar equipment cannot be used by participants.
Winners in each category will receive Sh50,000 with second-placed athletes getting Sh30,000. Third-placed athletes will get Sh20,000 with prizes trickling down to 10th position.
The Meru Mountain Running race will be held on February 26 according to AK’s calendar.
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