Japan-based Hellen Ekalale and Vincent Langat were crowned winners of senior race categories at the fifth leg of the Athletics Kenya Betika Cross Country Championships in Olkalau, Nyandarua County on December 14, 2024.
In the women’s category, Ekalale who arrived back home from Japan this week, timed 35 minutes and 53.1 seconds to win ahead of Christine Njoki who clocked 36:26.1. Joylin Cherotich finished third after clocking 37:13.1.
Afterwards, Ekalale said she was thrilled to have won the race and was motivated by the success achieved by Olympics 5,000 metres and 10,000m champion Beatrice Chebet.
“I was here to gauge my form and see how my body would react to the conditions, and I’m glad to have won,” said Ekalale.
“We started competing with Beatrice Chebet and I remember we both competed at the 2018 World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland and seeing her doing so well has motivated me to work hard. That’s why I have started early preparations for the new season. I hope to make a strong case for myself ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships that will be held in Tokyo. Should I make the team, I hope to compete in the women’s 5,000m race,” she added.
In the men’s category, Langat ran a calculative race, staying behind in the first four laps before surging forward in the last lap and taking the lead-up to the ahead to win the race in the last lap.
Langat, who trains in Keringet in Nakuru County crossed the line after clocking 32:05.2.
Afterwards, he acknowledged that the race was tough and decided to hang onto the lead to the end, a strategy that worked for him.
The soft-spoken runner won ahead of his training mates Wesley Kogo (32:08.90, and John Lomoni (32:18.4).
In the women’s 2km loop, Naomi Korir extended her dominance after winning at the Iten and Bomet legs of the series weeks ago.
Korir, a specialist in the 800m race, timed 9:09.6 to win ahead of the Africa 800m silver medallist, Lilian Odira who clocked 9:10.6, while Japan-based Miriam Cherop was third in 9:15.4.
In the junior men’s 8km category, Kevin Biwott won in 26:12.2 ahead of Silas Senchura who clocked 26:23.3, and Evans Biwott who settled for third position in 26:35.4.
Celestine Mantaine won the junior women’s 6km category after clocking 23:15.5, with Alice Chemtai finishing second in 23:23.5, and Sandra Jepchumba third in 23:36.3.
The next competition in Athletics Betika Cross Country Championships series shall be held in Kisii County on January 4. The Kenya Defence Forces Cross Country shall be held on January 10, with all counties holding their events on January 11.
On January 18, the Universities Championships shall be held at Kabarak University in Nakuru County with Kenya Prisons Cross Country Championships being held on January 19 in Ruiru, Kiambu County.
The Regional Cross Country Championships shall be held on January 25 with the Kenya Wildlife Service Championships, Kenya Forest Service Championships and National Youth Service Championships being held on the same date.
Teams selected will meet at the National Cross Country Championships which is a bronze-labeled event on February 8 at the Kenya Prisons College in Ruiru, Kiambu County.
