Mneria, Korir face off in Prisons Cross Country event

Berlin Marathon silver medallist Mark Korir takes the battle to defending champion Charles Mneria when the Kenya Prisons Service Cross Country Championships go down Saturday at the Prisons Staff Training College (PSTC), Ruiru, Kiambu.

The 37-year-old Korir is fresh from competing at the Berlin Marathon where he finished second in two hours, five minutes and 58 seconds, losing to double Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge on September 25 the German capital.

Kipchoge won the race in a new world marathon record of 2:01:09 hence improving his own world record he had set at the same course 2:01:39 in 2018.

Korir, the 2015 Paris and 2016 Frankfurt Marathon champion, had in April settled fourth at Seoul Marathon in Korea.

"This is my first race since Berlin. I only took a rest for two weeks before resuming training," said Korir, adding that he will use the cross country race as part of his speed work ahead of Boston Marathon due for April next year.

Korir said it will be a great honour to race against Kipchoge again as he promised to change tact and beat him. "It will all depend on how someone prepares," said Korir.

Mneria sealed his fourth consecutive men’s 10km victory during the Kenya Prisons Service Cross Country Championship held in January this year after taking command from Boaz Kiprugut with three laps to go to triumph in 30 minutes and 06.5 seconds.

Besides the 26-year-old Mneria, who is also Kenya Prisons 10,000m champion and 5,000m silver medallist, and Korir, the men’s field is oozing experience and youth.

Kiprugut , the 2017 Africa Under-20 Championships 1,500m bronze medallist and Wilfred Kimitei, the 2016 Africa 10,000m silver medallist will be eyeing better tidings after they finished second and third respectively during the last event.

The evergreen 2007 World marathon champion Luke Kibet, Cornelius Kangongo and the 2021 World Under-20 1,500m champion Vincent Keter are also in the mix. 

With the defending champion Celliphine Chespol still nursing an injury, the women’s 10km battle has been thrown open with World Under-20 3,000m champion Betty Chelangat among those vying for top honours.

Chelangat said she plans to win and graduate firmly to to senior ranks in style.

Chelangat finished fourth during the 2km race to make the National team for the World Cross Country Championships due for February 18 in Australia.

"I know I will come up against strong opposition at the Prisons race but I am ready," said Chelangat. 

Other seasoned athletes in the women’s contest are Brilliant Jepkorir, who will be going for the top accolades after she finished second behind Chespol in the last event and Visiline Jepkesho, who represented Kenya in marathon at the 2015 and 2019 World Championships and 2026 Rio Olympics.

One of the event's organisers Steven Mwaniki said preparations for the race are complete with the course still in pristine state following last weekend's national trials for the World Cross Country Championships.

The women's 10km race will get down the proceedings at 9.15am followed by the men's 10km race after 30 minutes.

The mixed relay battle will then close the proceedings later. 

"We shall be picking our team for the National Cross Country Championships at the end of the races," said Mwaniki.

The National Cross Country Championships will be held on January 21 at the Kenya Prisons Training College, Ruiru.

The Kenya Prisons event is sponsored by Magereza Sacco, Post Bank, Cooperative Bank, Coca-Cola, CIC Insurance  Premier Credit and St John Ambulance.