Kipyegon, Cheruiyot to grace Bomet XC meet

All is ready and set for the second leg of the Athletics Kenya (AK) cross country series that will be held in Sotik, Bomet County on Saturday with renowned athletes set to light up the event.

Olympics and World 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon Chepng’etich and World 1500m silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot are among the big guns who have confirmed their participation at the event which is expected to draw upcoming athletes from the South Rift region.

Also confirming their participation include World Under-18 boys 2000m steeplechase champion Leonard Kipkemoi Bett  who will participate in the 8km junior men as well as Africa Cross country champion Miriam Cherop who will be competing in the 6km junior women.

AK Bomet regional chairman John Kimetto said Bomet County Governor Dr Joyce Laboso and AK president Lt. Gen (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei will grace the event.

This year’s event will be held at a County-owned facility next to the Cereals Board in Sotik town.

Amid the heavy rainfalls experienced in major parts of the country, Kimetto has assured athletes that the field well maintained with plenty of grass thus the course will not be too tough for them.

“We are experiencing heavy rains here so we have to start the race early; we’ll be off by nine o’clock in the morning.

“The field has plenty of grass cover and thus we do not expect the course to be slippery except for some few parts which we also consider as a positive obstacle for athletes to test themselves,” Kimetto said.

This will be the second AK cross country series after the first series was held in Nairobi a week ago with the third series slated for Nyandarua County on 25 November.

Athletes are using the cross country to step up their preparations ahead of next year’s Africa Cross country championships to be held in Algeria in March 2018  and the Commonwealth Games to be held in Gold Coast, Australia.