It is now official. Two world record holders are destined to collide at the Absa Sirikwa Classic Cross Country at the Lobo Village in Eldoret on Saturday.
Triple Olympics 1,500m Faith Kipyegon, who is also the women’s world record holder over the distance, was yesterday confirmed as one of the star entries in senior women’s 10km of the fourth editions of the World Athletics gold Tour event.
She is now on a collision course with Agnes Jebet Ngetich, the women’s 10km world record holder and second fastest woman in the half marathon
What an attractive prospect this. Organisers would not have imagined of a better match-up. Kipyegon, 31, won the 2023 edition while Jebet finished 17th in the inaugural race in 2022.
Kipyegon who has been nicknamed ‘‘Smiling Destroyer’ holds the world record in the 1,500m of 3:49.04 set at the Paris Diamond League in 2024 and the One Mile world record of 4:07.64 set in Monaco in 2023.
For good measure, she also broke the 5,000m record with a time of 14:05.20 at the Paris Diamond League on July 9, 2023 before that time was lowered to 14:00.21 by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay at Eugene, Oregon on September 17, 2023.
Agnes Jebet Ng’etich headlines strong field for Sirikwa Classic
“We are excited to announce that Faith Kipyegon will be competing as she starts her season and we are glad that she’s back after missing last year’s edition,” said meet director Barnaba Korir yesterday.
Kipyegon wrote history by becoming the first woman to win Olympics 1,500m title three consecutive times with he victory in Paris.
Faith Kipyegon of Kenya celebrates after winning the Women's 1500m final.
Photo credit: Reuters
She also bagged a silver medal at the Paris Olympics in the 5,000m race behind her compatriot Beatrice Chebet who won a gold medal with Sifan Hassan finishing in third place.
Kipyegon who trains under the Global Sports Communications stable in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County also boasts of a three world title from the 2017, 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships and a silver medal she bagged at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in the 1,500m race.
“The first edition was really tough but I managed to finish top 20,” she said.
She is now a proven world beater. On January 14 last year, she won the Valencia 10km road race in a world record time of 28:46 as she became the first women in history to run the distance in under 29 minutes.
Kenya’s Agnes Jebet Ngetich celebrates after breaking the 10km world record at the Valencia 10km road race in Spain on Sunday, January 14, 2024. PHOTO | COURTESY
Then on October 27 of that year she stormed to victory in a debut Valencia Half Marathon in Spain in the second fastest time by a women of 1:03.04 missing the world record by 12 seconds.
The Iten-based athlete admitted that after running the second fastest time in the half marathon, she was motivated to continue working hard and going for nothing but the best in her career.
Said the 24-year-old Jebet: “My training has been ongoing well and even as we head to the race, since it’s my first cross country race this season, I won’t promise anything but I just want to run a beautiful race.”
After Sirikwa, Jebet will compete in the Grand Slam Track 3,000m and 5,000m to build her speed and endurance.
Grand Slam Track is a new professional track and field league announced in 2024 by former American Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson. The inaugural season is set to run from April to September.
The Sirikwa race director Korir also announced that Jacob Krop, the 2022 world silver medallist in the 5,000m, had entered the senior men’s 10km race.
The Sirikwa Classic Local Organising Committee Chairman Abraham Mutai said that preparations were almost complete and he expected an outstanding competition where new talents will be emerge.
“TI would urge fans to turn up in large numbers because there will be a lot of entertainment from the local musicians ahead of the races. Come and watch the world beaters live on the ground on the day,” said Mutai.
More than 1,000 elite athletes have registered to run in the 6km junior women, 8km junior men, mixed relay and the 10km senior men and women.
Winners of the men’s and women’s senior races will each walk away with $6,000 (about Sh780,000) while the second and third placed runners will be entitled to $5,000 (Sh650,000) and $4,000 (Sh520,000) in prize money respectively.
