Athletes to expect tough course at National XC

Athletes participating at the National Cross-Country Championship on Saturday have been warned to expect a challenging course that will offer maximum test on their prowess when they compete at the Eldoret Sports Club.

Unlike in the previous editions where the championships were being held in Nairobi, this year’s event will be held in the ‘City of Champions’ where top athletes in the country hail from.

The venue earmarked for the event is the near-flat Eldoret Sports Club ground which brought in question the competitiveness it will offer to athletes considering the competition is also used to pick athletes to represent Kenya at the World Cross in March 30.

Athletics Kenya (AK) Central Rift first vice-chairman Barnabas Kitilit has however assured that the course will be tough and challenging and not as easy as some might think.

“We are through with the course, even the officials from IAAF have inspected and are contented with everything.

I can assure you that the course is very challenging, we have mounted obstacles including bails and also we have put in place a stretch of a mud obstacle to make the course more challenging,” added Kitilit.

Meanwhile, preparations are in top gear as the organisers are in the final stages of putting everything in place ahead of the competition with some teams having already arrived in Eldoret.

“We are actually in the final stages in of our preparations where we are mounting in tents at the main dais. Teams have already arrived where they have been booked in different hotels within Eldoret town,” Kitilit said.

AK will also conduct an anti-doping seminar for the athletes at Noble Hotel after meeting with athlete’s managers and other officials on Thursday.

Later on, unveiling of athletes’ statute will take place at the Nairobi-Nandi-Kaptagat road junction.