Reline, Zakayo reign in North Rift cross country
Edward Zakayo from Elgeyo Marakwet County wins the Athletics Kenya North Rift Region Cross Country Championships 10km senior men’s race held at Kishaunet in West Pokot County on January 20, 2024. Zakayo clocked 27:47:2, John Korir from Trans nzoia County came second timed at 27:54:5 while Fredrick Domongole from West Pokot County finished third clocking 28:04.7.
What you need to know:
- The Kapsait-based athlete crossed the finish line in 31:22.4 ahead of her training mate Christine Chesiro who clocked 31:57.1 while Maureen Jepkoech settled for third place in 32:22.4
- In the men's race, Zakayo stayed with the leading pack before surging forward in the last lap crossing the line in 27:42.7 ahead of John Korir who clocked 27:54.5 while Fredrick Domongole settled for third place in 28:04.7
Catherine Reline and Edward Zakayo are the winners of this year's Athletics Kenya North Rift Cross Country Championships held in Kapenguria, West Pokot.
Reline bagged victory after leading in the last three laps. The Kapsait-based athlete crossed the finish line in 31:22.4 ahead of her training mate Christine Chesiro who clocked 31:57.1 while Maureen Jepkoech settled for third place in 32:22.4.
The World Athletics Road Running Half Marathon Championships bronze medalist Catherine Reline is optimistic that she will represent Kenya in upcoming global events.
Reline has set her eyes on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games where she will be eyeing a position in the 10,000m team after she failed to represent Kenya at last year's World Championships in Budapest, Hungary despite finishing third at the national trials.
She finished third at the national trials but she didn’t have qualification time for the World Championships and was replaced by another athlete.
She is however confident that she will meet the qualification time before the national trials but first things first; represent Kenya at World Cross Country Championships slated for March 30 in Belgrade, Serbia.
“Cross country races are good and having made it to compete at the nationals, I know it will be a tough one. I’m going to continue training hard and use the remaining races to gauge my performance. Competing in Kenya is just like running abroad because Kenyans are really tough,” said Reline in an interview with Nation Sport.
In the men's race, Zakayo stayed with the leading pack before surging forward in the last lap crossing the line in 27:42.7 ahead of John Korir who clocked 27:54.5 while Fredrick Domongole settled for third place in 28:04.7.
Zakayo said he is eyeing a place in Team Kenya for World Cross Country Championships and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games slated for August.
“I have never represented Kenya in a senior event after winning the 5,000m race at the World Under-20 Championships in Finland in 2018. I knew I would transition well to the senior level but it has been hell for me because of injuries which are on and off,” said Zakayo.
In the junior men’s 8km race, Joham Erot won in 21:49.6 ahead of Charles Rotich who clocked 21:52.7 with Simon Maiywa finishing third in 22:53.4.
In the junior women's 6km race, Domitila Cheruto crossed the line first in 19:15.6 ahead of Alice Jemutai who clocked 19:39 with Mary Jelimo finishing third in 19:43.9.
The selected team will compete at the National Cross Country Championships on March 9 at Kenya Prisons Training College, Ruiru in Kiambu County.
