Off the wire
• Athletics Kenya to take legal action against bribe allegation  • Russia to support Iraq in anti-IS fighting  • Kenya police arrest three fake anti-doping officials  • 2nd LD Writethru: Gravitational waves detected 100 years after Einstein's prediction: scientists  • Kenya volleyball team seeks ticket to Rio Olympics  • Kenya athletes allege official demands money to slash doping suspensions  • IMF chief Lagarde set for second term  • U.S. stocks plunge as investors seek havens amid global rout  • Kenyan firm expects more Chinese airlines in Africa to boost trade  • Sweden's central bank cuts negative interest rate further  
You are here: 　 Home

Tight contest as Kenyan runners line up for epic showdown

Xinhua, February 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Close contests in a potentially waterlogged course are on the cards in the 10km race at the Athletics Kenya/IAAF Permit Cross Country Championships on Saturday in Nairobi.

Geoffrey Kamworor and Bedan Karoki, who ran to the 1-2 at the 2015 World Cross Country in Guiyang, China bring top form against a deep field.

Karoki retained the men senior title last year with Kamworor finishing second to set the stage for the World Cross in Guiyang. Kamworor turned the table in Guiyang, winning gold as Karoki settled for silver.

They returned to China for the Beijing World Championships last year where Kamworor took for silver as Karoki wound fourth in the 10,000m race.

Kamworor retained Kenya Police Service Cross title on January 16 in Nairobi.

Kamworor and Karoki have expressed their desire to represent Kenya at the World Half Marathon championships set for March 26 in Cardiff, Wales. Kamworor is the defending champion.

Athletics Kenya will used the IAAF Permit race to select the team for the Africa Cross Country Championships slated for March 12 this year in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Kamworor leads a strong Kenya Police team that has the 2013 World Junior silver medallist Leonard Barsaton, 2013 National champion Philemon Rono and 2012 Africa Cross champion Clement Lagat.

They are up against Yigerem Demelash, the 2012 World Junior 10,000m champion, and Birhan Mihretu from Ethiopia.

Prisons Cross winner Vincent Rono, 2014/2015 AK Cross Country Series champion Cornelius Kangongo, and 2014 Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Jonathan Muya head Prisons pack. Endit