Vincent Kibet Langat and Sheila Chelangat are the winners of the 10km Betika Cross Country Championship held in Kericho County at the weekend that attracted over 800 amateur and professional contestants.
Langat timed 30:04 to soar across the finish line in the men's category as Chelangat clocked 33:18 for a triumphant finish in the women's category. Both winners were rewarded with Sh150,000 for their stellar performances.
Langat, 36, expressed his joy after the victory saying: "This was one of the toughest courses I have ever tackled, but the energy from the crowd and the beauty of the Kericho landscape kept me going. I’m truly honored to have won this race."
Thrilled Chelangat, 27, in equal measure added, "It was a great experience running here in Kericho. The terrain was challenging but it pushed me to give my best. I'm grateful to the organizers for such a fantastic race and their support to the athletes."
Aside from the two champions, second and third place finishers in both categories received cash prizes of Sh100,000 and Sh75,000 respectively.
In another exciting twist, the race sponsors extended support to senior citizen athletes (50 years and above) with 4km winners Francis Bowen (12:55) and Joyce Kirui (8:00) awarded Sh30,000 each.
Reflecting on her achievement, Kirui shared her thoughts on competing at her age, "It feels amazing to still be out here, running alongside young athletes.
Age is nothing but a number; it’s the fire in your spirit and the dedication in your training that truly matters. I am deeply grateful to the event organizers for honoring senior athletes like me, for recognizing the passion we carry, and for granting us the opportunity to showcase our abilities."
Eric Mwiti, the Betika Brand Manager, commented on their commitment to support sports development at all levels.
"We are thrilled with the overwhelming success of this cross country event. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated- this achievement is just the beginning of even greater things to come for our brand. It’s inspiring to see senior athletes like Francis and Joice perform so well. They are a testament to the power of perseverance and lifelong fitness," Mwiti said.
"As a sports community, we must do more to recognize and support senior athletes, providing platforms for them to thrive. Having the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya present here was a crucial step in our ongoing efforts to ensure integrity and fairness in sports. This collaboration is a clear statement of our dedication to safeguarding the spirit of competition and supporting the development of a transparent and clean sporting environment," Mwiti added.