Athletics: Cherono and Kipruto to lead chase for Sh1.2m jackpot

By JOSEPH NGURE

 The Kenya Commercial Bank cross-country series comes to an end today with World 5,000m champion Mercy Cherono (pictured) and steeplechaser Conseslus Kipruto being the main attraction.

The weekend meet will also feature experienced cross-country runners like former World champion Joseph Ebuya and Hosea Mwok who will star in the senior categories against a crop of budding runners.

The newly created Athletics Kenya Central Rift region will be hosting the competitions, the first AK activity for the New Year, at Eldoret Polytechnic.

Being the last of the six leg build up and jackpot series, today’s event will also be used by those who had taken a break from training for Christmas to  gauge themselves ahead of grass root competitions that will be reaching the climax with the IAAF Permit/National Trials on February 15 in Nairobi.

Central Rift Athletics Kenya branch Secretary Benjamin Limo said the region is expecting a big number of participants including the region’s top cream.

“As experienced before, this meeting is going to attract the largest participation because it is the last for those contesting for the jackpot. The course has been prepared. We are expecting good competition in all the four categories,” said Limo, the 1999 World cross-country champion and Helsinki 5,000 metres gold medalist.

Since the series got underway on November 2, 2013 in Nairobi, different winners have emerged and as opposed to last year when Bydgoscz 2010 World Cross-country champion Emily Chebet, cross-country regular Hosea Mwok Macharinyang, schoolboy Moses Mukono and students Agnes Chebet, Jackline Chebwogen, Eva Cherono, Mercy Chebwogen and Sheila Chepng’etich topped the list of contestants for the Sh1.2 million KCB Jackpot, there is no clear favourite this year after the meetings were reduced to six.

 Kipruto, who failed to stop two-times Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi in Moscow last year, will headline the senior men’s 12km as he try his talent in cross-country.

Mercy Cherono, the reigning 5,000m  world champion, will be starting as the favourite in the senior women’s race.

Others who have shown seriousness in cross-country and will be in Eldoret include Gladys Chesir, Irene Chelagat and Emily Chebet.  ––jngure@standardmedia.co.ke