Sandra Chebet (left) at the South Rift Valley Cross Country Championships 10km senior women’s race at Njoro Boys High School, Nakuru County on January 8, 2022.
Sandra Chebet, the 2018 World Athletics Under-18 Championships 2,000 metres steeplechase silver medallist, will be hoping to finally land a major senior international title in the new athletics season.
Chebet, who will defend her women’s 10km title in the first leg of the Athletics Kenya Cross Country Series in Machakos today, had a good career as a junior.
However, the 26-year-old athlete is yet to make a major global impact as a senior in her athletics career spanning a decade.
In 2015, she claimed bronze in 3,000m at the Africa Under-20 Championships, finished fifth at the World Under-20 Championships in 2016 before settling for silver medals in 3,000m and 5,000m at the 2017 Africa Under-20 Championships.
In her last appearance for Kenya as a senior, Chebet finished 10th at the Africa Cross Country Championships held in February last year in Tunisia.
“It’s my dream to make it big as a senior and I am not losing hope anytime soon,” said Chebet, who is now into road running, having competed in two marathons.
Chebet finished fourth at Shanghai Marathon in November in a personal best time of 2:22:22 before claiming sixth spot at Daegu Marathon in 2:26:57 in April.
She will compete in the Honolulu Marathon in the United States of America on December 8.
“The cross country in Machakos is part of my preparations and speed work for Honolulu,” said Chebet, who is targeting the World Athletics Championships scheduled for September 13 to 21, next year in Tokyo, Japan.
“I will take a shot at the 10,000m or marathon for the Tokyo championships and that is why Honolulu is important to my plans,” said the Kenya Police Service athlete who is based in Londiani, Kericho County.
In Machakos today, Chebet will face Mercy Chepkorir and Teresa Cherotich from Kericho, the 2017 world cross country relay gold medallist Winfred Mbithe and the 2021 world relays silver medallist Naomi Korir among others.
Fresh from winning the 3,000m steeplechase bronze at the World Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, Diana Chepkemoi, will want to retain her under-20 title in Machakos.
South Rift’s Bethwell Kibiwot, Machakos-based Athanas Kioko and Kenya Prisons’ Kipngetich Ng’eno are some of the favourites entered in the men’s 10km race.
The world cross country mixed relay gold medallist Reynold Cheruiyot and African Championships 800m silver medallist Lilian Odira will feature in mixed relays.
Athletics Kenya director of competitions, Paul Mutwii, said the start of the cross county marks signals the countdown has started for next year's Africa Cross Country Championships as well as the World Championships in Tokyo.
“It is important that athletes compete in this event if they want to have a strong season,” said Mutwii.
The winners in men’s and women’s senior races will pocket Sh50,000 each, up from Sh5,000.
The prize fund caters for the top 10 finishers in seniors and under-20 races.
From Machakos, the series will head to Kapsokwony (October 26), Bomet (November 2), Ol Kalou (November 30), Kisii (December 14) and Iten (January 4).
