Kericho town will come alive on October 15, when seasoned and upcoming athletes from the area are set to compete for top honours during the 2nd Betika Kericho Cross-Country meet to be held at Kericho Tea Hotel sports ground.
The games sponsored by Betika Betting Company will feature a 10-kilometre senior race for women and men categories and mixed relay competitions.
The races will see both men and women athletes above 18 years old from Kericho, Nakuru, Baringo, Kapsabet, Eldoret, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kisii, Nakuru, and Bomet counties come to prove their worth and hone their running skills in the two disciplines.
In an interview with KNA during a training session at Tilwet Estate, Athletics Kenya (AK) Kericho County First Vice Chairman Gabriel Kiptanui expressed confidence that Kericho-based athletes will post excellent results as they were committed to their training and had posted personal best times in international athletic competitions held this year.
“I am optimistic that Kericho-based seasoned and budding athletes will post impressive performances during this competition. Sheila Chelangat, Daniel Munguti, and Alex Kipngetich Ngeno have posted commendable results while participating in international athletic competitions, notably the World Athletics Cross Country Championships held in Bathurst, Australia; the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary; and the World Athletics Road Running Championships held in Riga, Latvia. I am positive that in the Betika sponsored race they will do well in their respective disciplines,” said Kiptanui.
Former World U20 3000m bronze medalist at the 2015 World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia, Sheila Chelangat, said she was geared up to take the podium during the 10km women category race.
“I have been away from the athletic scene, but I am now in great shape physically and mentally. I am ready to dominate the field,” said Chelangat.
The 25-year-old athlete represented Kenya at the 59th Ostrava Golden Spike race in the Czech Republic and came in second in the 5000m women’s race, and in the just concluded Belgut Marathon Championships held in Kericho in August, she emerged fifth in the same category.
Kiptanui doubles up as an athletics coach, and his camp in Kericho is home to the 2023 World Cross Country champion in mixed relay category and 2016 Africa junior women cross country champion Miriam Cherop, silver medalist 2018 World U20 800m silver medalist in Tampere Finland Alex Kipngetich Ngeno, 2013 World U18 1500m steeplechase gold medalist Robert Biwott, Mercy Cherono, who broke the World youth record in women’s 3000m in 2007 in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and reigning world 3000m steeplechase champion Beatrice Chepkoech.
The Nairobi-based Betika is Kenya’s leading sports betting company, with operations in nine countries in Africa.
By Sarah Njagi
