Kiprop, Kipsiro to lead team to Edinburgh race
Mar 20, 2008
THE domestic athletics body UAF has opted for experience and new blood by naming a team for the World Cross Country Championships due in Edinburgh, Scotland next week.
By Norman Katende
THE domestic athletics body UAF has opted for experience and new blood by naming a team for the World Cross Country Championships due in Edinburgh, Scotland next week.
Moses Kipsiro, who recently beat senior men defending champion Eritrean Zersenay Tadese in Spain, will lead the Ugandan contingent in the 12km event.
Kipsiro’s colleague Benjamin Kiplagat will lead the junior men in the 8km distance at the annual event.
Juniors women dropped
UAF’s technical committee that named the team, dropped the junior women athletes after failing to raise the required funds.
“We wanted them to travel but time was against us,†UAF treasurer Godfrey Nuwagaba, who will travel as the team coach explained.
“We have already submitted their papers for the necessary travel arrangements. We expect them to leave next week.â€
Kiprop back
Boniface Kiprop, making a comeback after a nagging injury, Martin Toroitich, the best performing Ugandan in the senior men category in last year’s event and Wilson Busienei, the most experienced Ugandan, are the other renowned faces on the team.
New faces
New faces include Nicholas Kiprono, Simon Ayeko and Nathan Chebet, who have caught coach Benjamin Longiros’ eye as Uganda seeks better fortunes after finishing in third position at last year’s edition.
Junior men’s prospects
On the junior men team, Abraham Kiplimo and fast rising Ben Siwa will join an already experienced trio of Geoffrey Kusuro, Benjamin Kiplagat and Kiprotich in search for a sixth team bronze medal and another individual medal.
Kiprop medal hopeful
Kiprop is the only Ugandan to have won individual medals at the event, having picked two silver and one bronze during his junior days.
The squad: Junior men (8km)
Geoffrey Kusuro, Benjamin Kiplangat, Abraham Kiplimo, Ben Siwa, Stephen Kiprotich
Senior men (12km)
Moses Kipsiro, Boniface Kiprop, Nicholas Kiprono, Nathan Chebet, Simon Ayeko, Moses Aliwa, Wilson Kipkemei and Martin Toroitich.
* Justine Bayiga will be out to prove her prowess in the sprints against upcoming rivals at the first Athletics Kampala trials at Kyambogo grounds tomorrow.
Bayiga has stepped her training in a bid to qualify for the Africa Athletics Championships, her only possible gateway to the Olympic Games.
Given that time registered by hand timers cannot qualify athletes to the Olympics, Bayiga needs to make it to Addis Ababa where electronic timers will be used.
After being beaten by training partner Emily Nanziri in two consecutive events, the experienced Bayiga has been working on her pace.
THE domestic athletics body UAF has opted for experience and new blood by naming a team for the World Cross Country Championships due in Edinburgh, Scotland next week.
Moses Kipsiro, who recently beat senior men defending champion Eritrean Zersenay Tadese in Spain, will lead the Ugandan contingent in the 12km event.
Kipsiro’s colleague Benjamin Kiplagat will lead the junior men in the 8km distance at the annual event.
Juniors women dropped
UAF’s technical committee that named the team, dropped the junior women athletes after failing to raise the required funds.
“We wanted them to travel but time was against us,†UAF treasurer Godfrey Nuwagaba, who will travel as the team coach explained.
“We have already submitted their papers for the necessary travel arrangements. We expect them to leave next week.â€
Kiprop back
Boniface Kiprop, making a comeback after a nagging injury, Martin Toroitich, the best performing Ugandan in the senior men category in last year’s event and Wilson Busienei, the most experienced Ugandan, are the other renowned faces on the team.
New faces
New faces include Nicholas Kiprono, Simon Ayeko and Nathan Chebet, who have caught coach Benjamin Longiros’ eye as Uganda seeks better fortunes after finishing in third position at last year’s edition.
Junior men’s prospects
On the junior men team, Abraham Kiplimo and fast rising Ben Siwa will join an already experienced trio of Geoffrey Kusuro, Benjamin Kiplagat and Kiprotich in search for a sixth team bronze medal and another individual medal.
Kiprop medal hopeful
Kiprop is the only Ugandan to have won individual medals at the event, having picked two silver and one bronze during his junior days.
The squad: Junior men (8km)
Geoffrey Kusuro, Benjamin Kiplangat, Abraham Kiplimo, Ben Siwa, Stephen Kiprotich
Senior men (12km)
Moses Kipsiro, Boniface Kiprop, Nicholas Kiprono, Nathan Chebet, Simon Ayeko, Moses Aliwa, Wilson Kipkemei and Martin Toroitich.
* Justine Bayiga will be out to prove her prowess in the sprints against upcoming rivals at the first Athletics Kampala trials at Kyambogo grounds tomorrow.
Bayiga has stepped her training in a bid to qualify for the Africa Athletics Championships, her only possible gateway to the Olympic Games.
Given that time registered by hand timers cannot qualify athletes to the Olympics, Bayiga needs to make it to Addis Ababa where electronic timers will be used.
After being beaten by training partner Emily Nanziri in two consecutive events, the experienced Bayiga has been working on her pace.