All set for Ol Kalou Cross Country

A high turnout of athletes is expected at the third and final leg of Athletics Kenya (AK) Cross Country series set for Saturday in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County.

The one-day event will kick start local athletics action in 2021, in a year packed with major athletics championships.

AK Nyandarua County secretary Lawrence Miano said they expect many athletes as the central region hosts many athletics training camps in Nyahururu.

He said the competition that will be held at the Nyandarua County Arboretum will entail all the seven categories; 10km senior men and women, 8km junior men, 6km junior women, 6km boys, 5km girls and mixed relay.

“We have finalised everything including the route and being the last meet we expect many athletes to grace the event. Remember we also have many training camps in Nyahururu which is a high altitude training centre. We expect at least 200 athletes in each category and not less than 10 teams for the mixed relay,” Miano told Citizen Digital.

At the same time Miano who is also the athletics head coach at Laikipia University said they have put in place stringent measures to contain the spread of coronavirus in line with the government’s directives.

“We are working closely with the county government who has provided us with an ambulance and four staff to handle temperature check points. We have also devised a plan to deal with registration where athletes will line up in a controlled manner,” said Miano.

The Ol Kalou meet will be the third meet after the Machakos and Mosoriot legs that were held November and December respectively.

The meet will thereafter pave way for counties and regional championships that will culminate in the national championships slated for next month in Kisii which will also double as trials for the World Cross Country Championships planned for Bathurst, Australia in March.