Program change in Agnes Tirop World Cross Country Tour
Benson Kiplagat wins the Athletics Kenya/Lotto National Cross Country Championships Under-20 men 8 kilometres race held at Lobo Village in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on January 22, 2022.
What you need to know:
- At just 19, Tirop made history as the second youngest woman after Zola Budd from South Africa to ever win a senior women’s race at the World Cross Country Championships during the 2015 edition in Guiyang, China.
- The girls' 1km race will open the day at 10am followed by boys' 1km race at 10.40am before entertainment.
The program at the Memorial Agnes Tirop World Cross Country Gold Tour due Saturday at the Lobo Village in Kapsiret, Eldoret will break away from the norm.
The organisers have slotted the senior women’s 10km as the last race at 3.40pn in honour of the late Agnes Tirop, the 2015 World Cross Country Championships senior women’s race champion.
World over, the senior men’s race usually closes the cross country meetings.
The Local Organising Committee secretary Kennedy Tanui disclosed Tuesday that the move is to celebrate and accord the late Tirop, the 2017 and 2019 Wi9rld 10,000m bronze medallist, the respect she deserves.
“We want to acknowledge our late heroine for what she did for athletics and this country. We also want to send a firm message that we are strongly against gender based violence not only in athletics but in society,” said Tanui.
The Memorial Agnes Tirop Classic World Cross Country Gold Tour is one of the 20 events in the World Cross Country Tour that World Athletics introduced in October last year.
The tour has 20 events comprising 15 gold, two silver and three bronze.
The Lobo Village competition is the 12th race in the Gold Tour.
Tirop was found murdered on October 13, last year at her home in Iten, Elgeyo-Marakwet and her estranged partner, Ibrahim Rotich is being held in connection with her death.
At just 19, Tirop made history as the second youngest woman after Zola Budd from South Africa to ever win a senior women’s race at the World Cross Country Championships during the 2015 edition in Guiyang, China.
The girls' 1km race will open the day at 10am followed by boys' 1km race at 10.40am before entertainment.
Girls' Under-18 5km and Boys' Under-18 km races will go down at 11.30am and 12.10pm respectively before paving way for another entertainment.
The women's Under-20 6km and men's Under-20 8km races go down at 1pm and 1.40-pm respectively before the official opening ceremony and cross country legends match.
The men's 10km battle will go down at 3pm.
At the same time, Tanui disclosed that Covid-19 protocols and security will be enhanced as they expect over 10,000 people at the Lobo Village.
“Let everyone coming for the event be ready for stringent Covid-19 protocols where they must wear their masks throughout the championships,” said Tanui, adding that there will be water and sanitiser stations across the course.
“We know there will be inconveniences but it is for a good course.”
Tokyo Olympics 10,000m bronze medallist, Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey, who holds three world records in distance races, and two-time World Cross Country champion Geoffrey Kamworor from Kenya, are among those who have confirmed participation to the event.
