Kemboi to light up Ol Kalau race

Fresh from winning the 10km senior men race in the second AK Cross Country Series in Sotik, Bomet County a week ago Nyahururu based Allan Kemboi is expected to light the Ol Kalau stadium as the focus shifts to the third AK Cross Country Series cum Anti-Doping Awareness in Nyandarua.

With his focus remaining strong on making it to team Kenya in next year’s Africa Cross Country Championship in Togo, Kemboi who finished fourth in the first round in Machakos before winning in Sotik, will defiantly be banking on the home advantage.

According to course manager Athletics Kenya Nyandarua branch secretary general Lawrence Miano, a huge number of athletes are expected in Ol Kalau for the one day event considering the large number of athletics camp in the area.

“Currently they are seven military camps around this area and all are training for the Kenya Defence Forces Cross Country Championships and 30km Road Race set for next month and this will be the perfect place to try their endurance,” Miano said

“The weather is perfect this is what the athlete’s love most, in Sotik the athletes were slightly over 500 but our target is between 700 and 800,” he added

The series however may not attract a huge number of elite athletes as it was a year ago where the likes of world champion Helen Obiri won the 10km senior women’s race which she used to prepare for her first ever world cross title hunt.

However, the field used for last year’s event will have some little changes.

“We have added a few obstacles to make the course even better, Cross Country is about measuring once strength and endurance, and that is what athletes will get here in Ol Kalau,” Miano lamented.

The Machakos meet kicked-off the new Cross Country season on November 23 before Sotik hosted the second meet on December 14.

After Ol Kalou, Kapsokwony will be the next stop for athletes on December 28 to host the fourth leg. The fifth and final leg of the Cross-Country series will be held in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County on January 4.