Kapsabet to host 10km race Sunday

Kapsabet comes alive on Sunday when the sixth Discovery Nandi 10km run gets underway.

The event, the brainchild of 2008 Olympic 800m champion Wilfred Bungei, serves as rehearsals for April’s big city marathons – Paris, Rotterdam, Boston and London – and will bring together upstarts and elite runners to Kapsabet, the spiritual home of world’s 800m athletes.

Bungei confirmed that Olympic marathon silver medallist Prisca Jeptoo and former World Junior 5,000m silver medallist Mathew Kisorio will line for the contest. Others are Frankfurt Marathon winner Georgina Rono, 2014 Tokyo Marathon winner Dickson Chumba and two-time World Marathon champion Abel Kirui.

Dr Kipchoge Keino, 1992 Olympic steeplechase champion, Patrick Sang, the County’s Sports executive, and 2008 Olympic 800m champion Pamela Jelimo are among stars expected to grace the event.

“It’s a shame that Nandi County is the home of championsyet we even don’t have a race to identify ourselves with,” said Bungei.

Kapsabet is the cradle of elite 800m athletes, who reside within a three-kilometre radius and have dominated the world charts since 1968 Olympic Games.

It is home to Henry Rono, who broke four world records (3,000m, 3,000m SC, 5,000m and 10,000m) in 81 days in 1978, former African 800m record holder Sammy Kosgei, former world champion Janeth Jepkosgei, former Olympic 800m Wilfred Bungei, Kenyan-Dane Wilson Kipketer as well as Kipchoge Keino, the 1968 Olympic 1,500m champion. “We will change the race from 10km to 21km. We have realised that Kenya has many 21km runners and few 10km runners. We will use the race to encourage them to excel in the race,” said Bungei.

The event will be sponsored by Kenya Power, National Social Security Fund, National Health Insurance Fund, Communications Authority of Kenya, Kenyatta International Convention Centre, New Kenya Co-operative Creameries, Agricultural Development Corporation and General Motors.

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