Kenya's Kamworor opts for World Half Marathon, to skip Africa Cross

NAIROBI, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- New York marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya will not compete in the Africa Cross Country Championships in Chelf, Algeria in March.

Instead, the Kenyan runner has announced his intention of retaining his title at the World Half Marathon, in Valencia, Spain in March 15.

Kamworor is a two-time world cross-country champion and believes his interest will be better catered for in Valencia.

In 2016, Kenya retained both the men and women titles won by Kamworor and Peres Jepchirchir in Cardiff, Britain.

"I will be participating in the Kenya Police Cross Country race this weekend but I will be using it as training because I will be seeking to retain my title for the third time in Valencia," Kamworor said on Thursday.

In Cardiff, Kamworor became the third man in history to retain the world title after Kenya's Paul Tergat and Zersenay Tadese from Eritrea. But he faces the small task of gauging his endurance in an open cross country meeting in Nairobi.

The two-time world cross-country champion will face stiff challenge in his home competition especially from track stars like Augustine Choge and Emmanuel Bett.

Meanwhile, Africa cross country champion Alice Aprot will be looking forward to retaining the title during the Kenya Prisons Service Cross country meeting in Nairobi on Friday.

"I know there will be stiff competition especially from the young upcoming athletes," said Aprot.

Others to look out for are Timothy Cheruiyot, the 2017 world championships 1,500m silver medalist, Commonwealth Games 1,500m champion Silas Kiplagat, Olympic and world championships 800m bronze medallist Margaret Nyairera and Mark Bett. Enditem