Obiri to use National XC as Gold Coast warm-up

World 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri will use the weekend’s National Cross Country championship to test her endurance ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

The Olympic silver medallist will have another one week to recover for the February 16-17 National Trials where selectors will draw up a team to represent Kenya at the largest non-capital city in Australia.

The 28-year-old who trains at the Ngong Camp said her preparations are going according to plan and declared she is keen to win her first Commonwealth title having finished sixth in the 2014 edition in Glasgow, Scotland.

“I’m planning to gauge my body fitness this Saturday at the 10km run. I also look forward to representing my country in Australia and come back with the gold medal,” Obiri told Citizen Digital.

Obiri who claimed her first world title in London last year has a congested three-month schedule as she also intends to reclaim her 3000m World Indoor title in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

She will be one of only two Kenyans at the event – alongside Margaret Nyairera – after world 1500m champion Faith Kipyego who is on maternity leave ruled herself out.