Kenyan runners to compete in Spain cross country meet

Kenya's Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champions Conseslus Kipruto and Ruth Jebet of Bahrain will compete at the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza in Elgoibar, Spain on Sunday.

Kipruto, who has skipped all local cross country meeting, is keen to impress the selection panel as he bids to lead the Kenya team to the World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda in March.

"I have done well before in Italy and Spain cross country meeting and this will be another chance for me to get to run against a strong team of Ethiopians and Eritreans to see how I weigh ahead of the Kampala event," he said.

The event, which is good for endurance will be also serve as part of the European Cross Country permit meeting.

Jebet, who denounced her Kenyan passport for Bahraini, will renew her rivalry with Ethiopia's Senbere Teferi, who defeated Jebet last weekend in Seville, while Ancuta Bobocel and Jess Andrews are among the top Europeans.

Jebet is expected to battle with Kenya's Agnes Tirop, the defending champion, for the title in Kampala.

Kipruto will face Seville winner Aweke Ayalew of Ethiopia, former world junior 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei and leading Spaniards Ilias Fifa, Antonio Abadia and Adel Mechaal in the men's race.

The Kenyan left for Spain on Friday a day after tending the country's sportsmen award dinner in Nairobi where Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and world champion Vivian Cheruiyot were named Kenya's male and female athletes of the year on Thursday.

Last year's winners Geoffrey Kamworor and Vivian Cheruiyot will not defend their titles at world cross country in Kampala as they seek to focus on marathon. Cheruiyot is preparing for her London Marathon debut in April. Endit