Great Chepsaina cross country race set for next month launched in Nairobi

Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba with athletes and other officials during the launch of the Chepsaita cross country. [Courtesy]

It's all systems go as the inaugural Great Chepsaita cross country meet set for December 2, at Chepsaita Secondary School in Uasin Gishu County was launched on Wednesday.

Chepsaita sits on the border of Nandi, Kakamega and Bungoma counties and the meeting aims at bolstering and nurturing talent from the area.

The event will also have free medical camps that will provide athletes with an opportunity to receive medical checkup and valuable health advice from professional healthcare personnel.

The Chepsaita course is a tough terrain that will enable athletes gauge their preparations towards busy season that includes the World Cross Country in Serbia and 2024 Paris Olympics.

The event launch was graced by Sports CS Ababu Namwamba, PS Peter Tum, the race patron Farouk Kibet, Athletics Kenya President and World Athletics President Jackson Tuwei, Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii, AK Central rift chairman Abraham Mutai, among others.

Some of the top athletes who graced the event included Vincent Keter, Mary Moraa, Beatrice Chebet, Agnes Jebet and Sheila Chepkirui.

"It's not a local event for the local athletes, it's a national event and we are urging everyone to come and compete, we need to expand athletics to every part of the country and this is an initiative to promote the sport," said Kibet, the brains behind the Chepsaita meeting.

"I would love to see athletes triumph on the track and field and later after leaving active sports, they need to invest so that they can live a comfortable life after retirement. At the same time, doping is affecting the sport, we must work together to combat the menace."

Namwamba reiterated the government's commitment towards sports saying the Ministry was supporting the Chepsaita event.