Moses Kigen (0771) battles for the lead with George Kirwa (1828) and Bernard Chepkok in the senior men 12km, Tuskermatt Wareng xc (© David Macharia)
Two time winner of the CityPier-City Half Marathon in the Hague, the Netherlands (61:17PB) winner Moses Kigen won the senior men’s 12km race at the inaugural Tuskermatt Wareng cross country held in Eldoret today.
After the first lap of the fast and flat course located four kilometres west of Eldoret town, there was a closely fought battle between the seasoned Kigen, George Kirwa and Bernard Chepkok, before Kigen emerged the best in 33:12.
The battle almost ended in anti-climax after a lap-scorer sounded the bell a lap too early causing the three to unleash killer kicks in the fifth of the six six-lap race.
Kirwa finished second in 33:27 and Chepkok was third in 33:35 in a race that attracted 375 runners.
World cross country junior men silver medalist Leonard Komon took the junior men 8km title with confidence in 18:37, after holding off a strong challenge in the larger part of the event that attracted 488 runners. Second was Joseph Kitur who clocked 18:42, while third place was taken by John Sombol in 18:44
After only five months of training 19-year-old Gladys Otero shocked season runners when she won the junior women 6km race. She beat 125 others who included international runners such as Pamela Lisoreng, 8th at the World Cross in Fukuoka, Japan, and Emmy Chepkirui 4th in Fukuoka, to win the race in 16:08. Today Chepkirui was 3rd in 16:29 and Lisoreng 5th in 16:35.
The senior women 8km race saw the continued return of former national cross country champion Fridah Ndomongole after two years’ absence. She won today’s race in 21:29, ahead of the Nairobi Half marathon champion Beatrice Rutto who clocked 21:35.
David Macharia for the IAAF
Selected Results:
SENIOR MEN 12KM
1. Moses Kigen 33:12
2. George Kirwa 33:27
3. Bernard Chepkok 33:35
JUNIOR MEN 8KM
1. Leonard Komon 18:37
2. Joseph Kitur 18:42
3 John Sombol 18:44
SENIOR WOMEN 8KM
1. Fridah Ndomongole 21:29
2. Beatrice Rutto 21:35
3. Lenah Masai 21:48
JUNOR WOMEN 6KM
1. Gladys Otero 16:08
2. Nancy Cherono 16:26
3. Emily Chepkirui 16:29
