Kenya dominates Africa Cross-country

By James Bakama 

Winners 

12km (senior men) 

L. Barsoton (Kenya) 34:26.12 

8km (junior men) 

M. Letoyie (Kenya) 22:36.60 

8km (senior women) 

F. Kipyegon (Kenya) 25:33.02 

6km (junior women) 

A. Tirop (Kenya) 18:50.74 

4km Corporate race 

Mathew Andama (Aqua Sipi) 

Team Results 

Senior men 

Kenya (Gold) Uganda (Silver) Ethiopia (Bronze)

Junior men 

Kenya (G) Eritrea (S) Ethiopia (B)

Senior women 

Kenya (G) Ethiopia (S) Uganda (B)

Junior women 

Kenya (G) Ethiopia (S) Uganda (B)

KENYA maintained its unbeaten Africa Cross Country record by also shining in the third edition of the biennial event at Kololo on Sunday. 

It was a clean sweep for the giants of long distance running as they won gold in all the day’s four events. 

Hosts Uganda were a shadow of the expected form with no individual medal. Uganda was only saved by a silver in the senior men’s team event and bronze in the junior and senior women’s team events. 

World cross-country silver medalist Leonard Barsoton was the day’s star, easily striding to the men’s 12km gold medal at the Kololo Ceremonial ground. 

“It was a good race on a good largely flat course. I am now eyeing a Commonwealth gold medal,” said Barsoton after crossing the finishing line with an almost 200 metre gap. 

He was followed by team-mates Cornelius Kangongo, Cherop Rono, Solomon Yego, Phillip Kiprono before the sequence being broken by the first Ugandan finisher Moses Kibet in sixth position. 

Uganda’s main hope Moses Kipsiro finished a distant tenth, two places behind the second Ugandan Thomas Ayeko. 

Coach Gordon Ahimbisibwe, who had earlier promised Uganda gold, said that his main medal hope Kipsiro was injured. He also conceded that some technical blunders cost Uganda dearly. 

“My main hopes were in the junior and senior men’s events. But the juniors got excited, starting off on a high pace only to lose steam after three kilometres.” 

Joshua Cheptegei in seventh position was Uganda’s first junior to finish followed by Mande Abdallah six places behind. 

In the senior women’s event national cross-country champion Linet Chebet came in ninth. Nancy Chepetegei, complaining of hot weather, was the next Ugandan in 15th position. 

Stella Chesang in tenth position was Uganda’s lead runner in the women’s junior race followed by Phanice Chemutai in 14th. 

Kibet also attributed his failure to make it to the medal podium in the senior men’s race to the hot weather. 

“We are used to running in cold weather. These high temperatures were a real challenge.”