Agnes Ngetich and John Korir clocked 32 minutes 28 seconds and 29.44 respectively to clinch championship titles for senior men and women 10 Km race at the Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour 5th Edition 2026, held at Lobo Village in Kapseret Sub County, Uasin Gishu County.
Mercy Chepkemoi and Catherine Manangole clocked 33 minutes 42 seconds and 33.51 for the second and third positions in the 10km women category, while Amos Kiprotich and Silas Senchura touched the finish line close to a tie at 29.46 minutes for the second and third positions for men 10km race.
The highly competitive race attracted over 1000 participants in various categories including Elite men and women 2km race, Under 20 women 6km, Under 20 men 8km and 10km elite men and women.
In the Under 20 men 8km, Kipkorir Kiprono won the title spending 23minutes and 41seconds, trailed by Wesley Kipkoech and Edwin Elkana in the second and third positions in 24.08 and 24.21.
Veneza Chebet took the first place in the Under 20 6KM Women in 20 minutes 28 seconds followed by Lonah Cherono in the second place in 20.36, while Cynthia Chepkirui became the third in 20.45 time.
In the elite 2km races, Naomi Korir and Reynold Cheruiyot claimed top honours in the women’s and men’s categories respectively.
Korir won the Elite Women 2km title after clocking 6 minutes 42 seconds, finishing ahead of Judy Kemunto who posted 6:47, while Mercy Chepngeno sealed third place in 6:54.
In the Elite Men 2km contest, Reynold Cheruiyot edged out a tightly contested race to cross the finish line in 5:52. Kyumbe Munguti followed closely in 5:53, with Timothy Cheruiyot completing the podium in 5:54
The winners in the Gold level event in the World Athletics cross-country tour, admitted that the showdown was highly competitive, and it depended on the level of one’s training to win the prize.
Women’s Under-20 6km winner, Lonah Cherono said, “I’m grateful to have finished in second place, and I didn’t encounter any challenges. I want to go and work hard and emerge in position one next time I compete in 3000m or 5000m.”
“I was coming to gauge how my body would react. My starts and finishes have not been great, and I think that’s what I need to work on,” said Daniel Kyumbe Munguti, who clinched second position in 2km elite men.
“I failed to react in time when Emmanuel opened the gap. He is my training mate and we normally go head-to-head. I tried to catch up with him but failed. However, I will now focus on working on my speed ahead of the track season,” said Wesley Kipkoech, number two in 8km Under 20 men.
The Sirikwa Classic Cross Country, a World Athletics Gold Label event held annually in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, is envisioned to blend high-level international competition with grassroots talent development, positioning Kenya as a premier hub for long distance running.
By Ekuwam Sylvester & Fredrick Maritim
