Great Chepsaita course passed ‘rigorous test’

The Great Chepsaita Cross Country Run which takes place on Saturday, December 7, promises to be one of biggest local races in its category, judging by the number of athletes registered.

The race, which is a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold Label event, is the 11th out of 16 gold tour races taking place around the world.

World Athletics Technical Delegate Pauline Murumba has camped in Uasin Gishu to oversee the preparations as organisers strive to meet sytrict conditions for staging a gold label event.

Murumba told Nation Sport that organisers will put final touches to the course ahead of the competition day.

“We look at various aspects of the race, including the medical side of things, prize money for athletes, and provission of capacity for media which is essential for a gold label race. Kenya isprivileged to have two global cross-country events, and I’m here as an observer,” said  Murumba. 

Competition Director Kennedy Tanui said his team has registered more than 10,000 participants.

“We ended the registration deadline last week and we have been giving out the bibs since Monday. Today (yesterday) is the last day because on Saturday (tomorrow), the races start at exactly 7.15am. The last race, men’s 10km senior race, will take place at exactly 1pm,” said Tanui.

Great Chepsaita Cross Country Run CEO Barnaba Korir said such events give local technical officials invaluable experience.

“We have very few international events happening in Kenya but when we host such an event, it gives mileage to our officials because they officiate. Apart from the officials, upcoming athletes also get a chance to be identified by talent scouts from the grassroots level,” said Korir.

He said 10 local schools benefitted from last year’s event through Sh10 million worth of scholarships. The schools are Manda Secondary School, St John Paul II Chepterwai Secondary School, AIC Ngenyilel Secondary School, St Peter’s Kamasai Secondary School, Shiandiche Secondary School, Murgusi Secondary School, St Peter’s Soin Secondary School, Chepsaita, Friends Secondary School Silungai Girls, ACK Chepsaita Secondary School, and St Mary’s Osorongai Secondary School. Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Edison Nyale assured visitors and competitors of adequate security during the race.

Apart from the prize money for the elite athletes where the winners will take home Sh300,000, Sh200,000 and Sh150,000 respectively, all other categories will also be rewarded with various prize money.

In terms of registration, there are 1,200 athletes in the 5-7 years category, 1,800 in the 8-10 years category, 1,800 in the 11-13 years category, 1,800 in the 14-15 years category, 1,400 in the under-20 years category, 1,600 in the elite category, 600 in the 46-55 years category, 400 in the 56-69 years category and 200 in the 70 years and above category.

Some of the international athletes competing on Saturday are from Bahrain, Burundi, Djibouti, the Netherlands, Qatar, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, the USA and Ethiopia.

The patron of the event, Farouk Kibet, an adviser to President William Ruto, said there was a need to improve the standards of races held locally and raise them to an international level where athletes from abroad could be invited to compete in the high-altitude area.

Kibet said that last year's event motivated many and this year a large number have come out to register and take part in the race and they are expecting more athletes to compete for the top prizes on offer.

"We wanted to start registering early so that we can run everything smoothly and we are expecting a bigger representation this year as you have seen the numbers. Others have even been excluded from the process.

"We are going to give prizes to the top 100 and we will pay them Sh10,000 for their fees so that all the children can go to school through the sport," said Kibet.