Samwel Chebolei and World U20 3000m steeplechase silver medallist Loice Chekwemoi shone brightly at the second edition of the Great Chepsaita Cross Country on Saturday.
Chebolei clocked an impressive 30:49 to claim the men's 10km title, outpacing Robert Kiprop (30:58) and Mathew Kipkoech (31:12).
Reflecting on his victory, Chebolei admitted the competition was intense but credited his determination for the win.
“The competition was not easy. I faced a strong field, but I pushed myself to secure the win,” Chebolei said.
He added that the decisive moment came after the third lap.
“We decided to pick up the pace after the third lap. It was a team effort initially, but from there, each of us fought for victory,” he noted.
Looking ahead, Chebolei is setting his sights on earning a spot in Team Kenya’s 10,000m squad for the 2025 Tokyo World Championships.
Meanwhile, Kiprop praised the event’s patron, Farouk Kibet, for championing an initiative that uplifts both budding and established athletes.
“This event is a great platform for athletes. I’m grateful for the opportunity it offers,” Kiprop remarked.
He now plans to shift focus to preparing for the 5000m at the Tokyo World Championships.
“I will take a short rest and then begin preparations for next season,” Kiprop said.
In the women’s 10km, Uganda’s Chekwemoi clocked 34:32 to outclass Ethiopia’s Mekides Shimeles (35:57) and Kenya’s Celestine Biwot (36:43).
The 17-year-old employed a calculated strategy, making her decisive move at the 5km mark.
“As we approached the 5km mark, I decided to break away. As a champion, I knew I had to push the rest of the field and go for the win,” she said.
Chekwemoi now has her eyes set on qualifying for the 2025 Tokyo World Championships by meeting the 9:18.00 steeplechase entry standard.
“My target is to secure qualification for next year’s World Championships,” she said.
In the U20 men’s 8km, Kelvin Kiprop upset World U20 5000m champion Andrew Alamisi to clinch victory in 24:37.
Alamisi settled for second in 24:54, with Edwin Sanutia taking third in 25:22.
Kiprop attributed his win to a bold final-lap surge.
“The three of us broke away in the third lap, but I decided to go all out in the final lap,” Kiprop revealed.
Despite claiming the title, Kiprop revealed he did not expect to win owing to the strong field.
"The race was good. I did not expect to win because I knew Alamisi was strong. I however decided to go for it and claim the title," he noted.
Alamisi, on the other hand, admitted the final kilometer pushed him to the brink.
“The last kilometer was tough, and I almost gave up, but I pushed myself to secure second place,” Alamisi said.
He was also impressed with the revamped course, describing it as more exciting and challenging.
"The race was really good. They have changed the course which made it more exciting," she stated.
In the U20 women’s 6km race, Cynthia Chepkurui crossed the line in 21:17, ahead of Yvonne Jepchirchir (21:43) and Joyline Chepkemoi (21:50).
Chepkurui tackled a challenging course filled with hills and slopes, which she said demanded extra effort.
“The course was tough with steep slopes, but I kept pushing,” she said.
Her decisive moment came in the final lap when she opened a gap to outpace her rivals.
“My focus now shifts to the Athletics Kenya Cross Country series in Ol Kalou on December 14,” Chepkurui added.
He next target is the Athletics Kenya cross country series fifth leg slated for Olkalau on December 14.
Jepchirchir, despite finishing second, expressed gratitude for her podium spot in front of a home crowd.
"I had prepared well for this race because Chepsaita is my home. With the home advantage I had planned to finish first but am thankful I was able to secure a podium finish," she noted.
Chepkemoi rounded out the podium, praising her resilience on a tough course.
“The race was challenging, but I thank God for the strength to finish third,” she said.
