The familiar churn of hooves-on-dirt and the thin, sharp scent of cold Rift Valley air will be back at the Eldoret Sports Club this Saturday as the Athletics Kenya National Cross Country Championships take center stage.
The much awaited showpiece will serve not only to crown domestic champions, but also to select Kenya’s teams for the 2026 World Cross Country Championships slated for 10 January in Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
Six positions will be up for grabs in each category. They include 10km for senior men and women, 8km for u-20 men, 6km for u-20 women, and a 2km loop race for both men and women.
The top athlete across the line will earn an automatic slot to next year’s global championship with next two finishers subjected to the Athletics Kenya panel of selectors.
This edition of the national championships has added urgency: because the World Cross Country Championships were moved earlier on the calendar, Kenya brought the national trials forward to October rather than the usual pre-March slot.
A peep into the entry list reveals a strong cast of big shots to face off in the Home of Champions city.
Last year’s senior champions Daniel Ebenyo and Brillian Chepkorir will headline the event in an attempt to defend their titles. Other big guns entered for the event include newly crowned world 800m champion Lilian Odira, world 1500m bronze medalist Reynold Cheruiyot, world cross country bronze medalist Lilian Kasait and African 5000m silver medalist Sandrafelis Chebet.
Ishmael Lokito, the 2023 world cross country u-20 champion in Bathurst, Australia will also be in contention for top honors in the senior race.
Ebenyo, the 2023 world 10,000m silver medalist is now ready to represent the country again in championships after vowing to never represent the country again after missing out on a place in Team Kenya for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
During last year’s edition of the event, Ebenyo was dominant, competing on the same course, as he secured a commanding victory in 30:48, ahead of Nickson Kogei (30:53) and Simon Mungai (30:56).
Silas Senchura, the winner of the AK Roysambu Cross Country in 30:25, half-marathon specialist Alex Matata and Rokito will challenge Ebenyo to the senior’s race title.
In the senior women’s 10km, Maurine Chebor, silver medalist from last year, Diana Wanza, Rebecca Mwangi, Kasait, Sandrafelis and Gladys Kwamboka will battle Brillian in vying for a rare ticket to Florida.
During last year’s event, Brillian claimed the top prize with a time of 34:30, followed by Maurine Chebor (34:33) and Stacey Ndiwa (34:55). Chebor and Wanza come into this race on the back of winning the Machakos leg of the AK Cross Country Circuit and the Roysambu Cross Country respectively.
The U-20 men’s 8km race is also set to be a thrilling contest, featuring a showdown between World U-20 5,000m champion Andrew Alamisi, Kelvin Kiprop, and Emmanuel Lemiso. Lemiso comes into the race with confidence after his U-20 win at Roysambu.
In the shorter 2km loop races, World 800m champion Lilian Odira will headline the women’s event, while World 1,500m bronze medalist Reynold Cheruiyot is the main attraction in the men’s race.
However, double world cross country gold medalist Beatrice Chebet will not take part in the event as ‘she is not yet ready to compete’. Chebet, 25, is fresh from making history in Tokyo after winning a historic 5,000m and 10,000m double.
Kenya Police Service head coach Isaac Kirwa confirmed to Nation Sport about the 2023 and 2024 world cross country champion’s intentions to be excluded from this Saturday’s showpiece. However, Kirwa is confident that Chebet will land a wildcard due to her past exploits and get a chance to compete in Florida.
