Cross country: Sawe, Rono out to reclaim gold in Belgrade
Sabastian Sawe wins the senior men's 10km race during 40th edition of Athletics Kenya National Cross Country Championships at Kenya Prisons Staff Training College in Ruiru on March 2, 2024.
What you need to know:
- The country last won the gold medal in the event during the 2017 World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda courtesy of Geoffrey Kamworor
- Sawe, who emerged seventh last year, believes he has picked up lessons that will help him finish on the podium on Saturday
- On his part, Gideon Rono just can't wait to make his debut on the course and also called on teamwork to stop the Ugandan and Ethiopian athletes
Kenya faces a herculean task to regain the men's senior race title at this year's World Cross Country Championships on Saturday in Belgrade, Serbia.
The country last won the gold medal in the event during the 2017 World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda courtesy of Geoffrey Kamworor. Ugandan's Jacob Kiplimo won gold in last year's edition ahead of Berihu Aregawi (Ethiopia) and compatriot Joshua Cheptegei. Kenya will again face stiff opposition from the Ugandans and Ethiopians at this year's competition.
National Cross Country champion, Sebastian Sawe leads a strong Kenyan team that includes Samuel Chebolei, World Junior Cross Country champion Ismael Kirui, Benson Kiplagat, Nicholas Kimeli, and Japan-based Gideon Rono.
Sawe, who emerged seventh last year, believes he has picked up lessons that will help him finish on the podium on Saturday. He said they need to run as a team so that they can achieve better results and win the team title.
“Running as a team will help us achieve good results and I believe we are going to run a good race and bag medals. Personally, I’m aiming to be on the podium, but it won’t be easy because everybody is going into the race well prepared,” Sawe, who is also the World Athletics Road Running Half Marathon champion, said on Sunday from the team's training base in Ngong.
On his part, Gideon Rono just can't wait to make his debut on the course and also called on teamwork to stop the Ugandan and Ethiopian athletes.
“It is just a matter of believing in ourselves and getting into the race with a good team spirit and persevering to the end so that we can bring back the gold medal which has been elusive for the last two editions,” said Rono, who works at a Logistics Company in Japan.
Nineteen-year-old Ismael Ismael Kipkirui is hoping that his graduation to the senior ranks will be a memorable one. The Eldama Ravine-based athlete, who was sixth at the national trials, believes that the team can deliver good results on Saturday through hard work and determination.
“I decided to compete with the seniors as part of my preparations for the season because it will improve my performances and I believe I will leave a mark,” he said.
For Kiplangat, the chance to represent Kenya for a second time at a global event fills his heart with joy. He won gold in the men's 5,000m race at the 2022 World Under-20 Championship in Kasarani.
“I have never competed against the likes of Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo, and Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi. It will be a learning curve, but at the same time I hope to do my best and make sure I make my country proud in the event,” he said.
The Kenyan team is currently is residential training in Ngong, Kajaido County and will leave the country on Tuesday for the European nation.
The team comprises 30 athletes and will compete in five events--senior men and women, junior men and women as well as the 2km mixed relay.
