Wilson Kiprop and Emily Chebet impress at Tuskys Wareng Cross Country Championship - Athletics news
World Half Marathon and African 10,000m champion, Wilson Kiprop scored a decent win in a time of 34 minutes and 51.5 seconds at the Tuskys Wareng Cross Country Championship, on November 27, in Eldoret, Kenya. The meet held the event’s fifth edition.
The senior Men’s 12km race commenced at a good approach, as World Cross Country participant, Matthew Kisorio and Olympic and World 1500m champion, Asbel Kiprop and Kisorio’s younger brother, Nicholas Togom, with other runners in the lead pack, kicked off
and set the pace trend early.
At the halfway point, Kiprop and Kipruto were going neck-to-neck, while Togom closely followed. With just a kilometre to go, Kiprop and Kipruto managed to marginalise Togom from contention. After going shoulder-to-shoulder in the course, the battle between
Kiprop and Kipruto was clear in the picture, with just a half kilometre to go.
Kipruto was not able to keep up with the pace, as the African champion crossed the finishing line in a time of 34 minutes and 51.5 seconds. Then, a bout for second place was seen as Kipruto and Togom approached towards the finish line.
Kipruto was able to clinch the second spot in a well-attained time of 35 minutes and 1.9 seconds, leaving Togom behind for the third position. Togom finished the distance in a time of 35 minutes and 4 seconds. After winning the race, Kiprop said, “The weather
was good and the fast pace set by some of the runners in the initial stage went well with my plan of the race.”
Kiprop, winner of the Africa crown at home last year and Wold Half in Nanning, China, did not have an easy time at the Cross Country race. Kiprop had to clear a tough challenge from the new kid on the block, Denis Kipruto, in the senior Men’s 12km event.
The competition was held under clear skies at Huruma grounds in the outskirts of Eldoret town.
The senior Women’s 8km race depicted a clear picture of the leading pack of ten intact together, until the third lap. The final moments of the race were intense, as Emily Chebet, Farida Chelagat and Georgina Rono engaged in a battle to secure the top spot.
Chebet fought with strategic steps to win the top position in a decent time of 27 minutes and 2.6 seconds. The second spot was secured by Chelagat, who clocked 27 minutes and 5. 2 seconds. Rono ended third in a time of 27 minutes and 8 seconds.
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