WOMEN’S world 10km record holder Agnes Ng’etich will use the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Tour on February 22 as a build-up ahead of her debut in the Grand Slam Track League on April 4-6.
The Grand Slam Track League, a professional circuit launched in 2024 by Olympic legend Michael Johnson, has attracted some of the sport’s biggest stars.
Ng’etich signed for the inaugural season on November 1, 2024, joining an elite group of Kenyan athletes, including World 800m champion Mary Moraa and Olympic 5000m silver medallist Ronald Kwemoi.
Ng’etich, one of the headline acts unveiled at the Sirikwa Classic launch on Wednesday at Lobo Village, Eldoret, will spearhead the senior women’s 10km race.
She sees the event as a crucial build-up for both the Grand Slam Track League and the World Championships set for September in Tokyo.
“I have decided to compete in the Sirikwa Cross Country as part of my build-up for the Grand Slam track and the Tokyo World Championships,” Ng’etich said.
Ng’etich is particularly eager to return to cross country, marking her first outing in the discipline since last year’s World Cross Country Championships in Serbia.
“This year, I haven’t taken part in any cross country so I am very much eager to participate in Sirikwa,” she noted.
In Serbia, she clocked 31:27 for fourth place behind Beatrice Chebet (31:05), Lilian Kasait (31:08) and Margaret Chelimo (31:09).
The 24-year-old will be riding on her blistering form, having shattered the women’s world 10km record on January 14, 2024, in Valencia, clocking an astonishing 28:46.
“The record motivates me because I missed out on the Olympics due to injury. It gives me confidence to chase positive results at Sirikwa,” she added.
Speaking during the launch of the event, meet director Barnaba Korir said the event will feature the senior 10km race, the Under-20 races and the kid races.
The kids’ races will feature three categories: a 2km race for 13-16-year-olds, a 1km race (9-12 years) and a 500m race (5-8 years).
The Sirikwa Classic, a World Athletics Gold Label event, will feature a mix of elite local and international athletes.
“We will not only have the local athletes but also international athletes as this is a gold label event which requires a minimum of five international athletes,” Korir noted.
The winner of the 10km race will take home Sh773,961, while the runner-up will pocket Sh644,967 and the third-place finisher will claim Sh515,974.