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Wazalendo Wakenya wenzangu leo kuna mapambano makali kule Uganda, ambapo wanariadha shupavu kutokea mataifa 59 wamekusanyika ili kushindana kwenye mchuano wa mbio za masafa marefu zinazoitwa 'World Cross Country'.
Ni mbio ambazo uhudhuriwa na wanariadha wazoefu duniani, pale huwa inabainika nani mfalme wa dunia hii maana wote balaa.
Mashujaa wetu hawa kwenye hii picha hapa chini, wenye sura za kishujaa na tabasamu zinalodhihirisha kwamba wanajiamini, wamesogea sogea na mavazi yenye bendera ya taifa letu tukufu. Jina la nchi yetu litaingizwa kwenye vinywa vya mamilioni ya watu watakaotazama leo.
Wamehojiwa na kila mmoja ameonyesha kajiandaa vilivyo kuandika jina la nchi yetu kwenye mwezi ili lisomwe kila siku, hawana pressure yoyote ila kukomesha tu ndio zao.
team Kenya jogs around Kololo Grounds ahead of IAAF world cross country championship schedulled for Sunday, March 26, 2017.[PHOTOENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD]
WORLD CROSS SCHEDULE
1:30pm: Opening Ceremony
2pm: Mixed Relay
2:30pm Under 20 Women
3pm: Medal Ceremony Mixed Relay
3:10pm: Under 20 Men
3:40pm: Medal ceremony under 20 Women
3:55pm: Senior Women
4:40pm:Medal Ceremony under 20 Men
4:55pm: Senior Men
5:30pm Medal Ceremony Senior Women
1745 Medal Ceremony Senior Men
1800 Mass Race
At exactly 2pm today, the athletics world is expected to temporarily come to stand still as the 42nd World Cross Country event starts at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, Uganda.
Anxiety is building among the 557 athletes from the 59 countries present in Kampala, with Kenyans vowing to shrug off the opposition and hold a firm grip on the event they have dominated over the years.
Leonard Komon, the team captain, said they are ready to stage a good show and ensure Kenya remains on top of the world.
"We are under no pressure. We have the experience and the best athletes in this team. We have explored all avenues of excelling here and I have no doubt that we will triumph," said Komon, the world 10km and 15km record holder.
Komon, who is staging his comeback in Kampala after bagging silver at the 2008 spectacle in Edinburgh, said they wanted to prove to the world that Kenya is an athletics superpower.
"We know other countries strive to match our performances but remember athletics, especially middle and long distance running, is a sport I can say 'it's made in Kenya and meant for Kenyans'. We just need a good weather," said Komon.
Faith Cheng'etich, the Olympic 1,500m champion and women's team captain, said the cross country battle serves as build up ahead of the IAAF World Athletics Championships that runs in London from August 4 to 12.
"I have gained enough endurance for 1,500m race and ready to take on my opponents here and in London World Championships. We have been to Kololo Independence Grounds and the course is familiar to me. I doubt if we will face any challenge," said Chepng'etich, who boasts two world cross junior titles and an African senior cross country title.
Uganda has won 19 medals at the world cross country championships and apparently with no gold medal.
And Stephen Kiprotich, the 2012 London Olympics marathon champion, said they are craving for a maiden gold jewel today.
"We are happy to host the event. The course is perfect but a bit challenging. If chances come our way, we will seize the opportunity," Kiprotich said.
Asbel Kiprop, the three-time world 1,500m champion, will anchor the mixed medley relay squad against Olympic silver medallists Genzebe Dibaba (1,500m) of Ethiopia and America's Paul Chelimo (5,000m).
"It's a new experience for us but we have prepared enough for the opposition," Asbel said.
Kenya and Ethiopia are the most successful countries in the world championships' history, having won 122 of the 161 available team titles in World Cross-Country Championships.
The two nations have met 123 times where both have fielded full teams, with Kenya besting Ethiopia 80-42. Kenya has won six individual senior women's titles.
And it will be no mean task for Kenya.
They have a tall order striving to sweep all individual team titles they last won in 1994 and 2010. Ethiopia won in 2008.
The team longs to replay performances of 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 2010, where they swept all available team titles.
In those these years, Kenyans won team gold medals in senior and under-20 races and in 2010, Kenya won all four individual titles.
Kenya and Ethiopia are only nations to have won individual medal sweeps in the 44-year history of world cross country championships.
Meanwhile Lord Sebastian Coe, the IAAF President, said he would live up to his commitment to improve athletics in Africa.
"It has been my desire to see African athletics develop and grow her talents and that's why within few months after I assumed office, I ensured we brought the IAAF Diamond League to Africa (Rabat, Morocco, which replaced Adidas Grand Prix in New York). And here we are again," said Coe during the press conference in Kampala yesterday.
"This is the year of innovations...we have introduced new ideas in Australia and the mixed relays in world cross country championships, which we believed will help boost the championships.
"It's unfortunate we will not have the refugee team here since we experienced some administrative challenges. I pay glowing tribute to Tegla Loroupe (the former world marathon record holder) here.
"Let me assure you that we will have the refugee team during the IAAF World Relay Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, next month," he said.
Asbel Kiprop, the three-time world 1,500m champion, said the medley relay contest motivated him to his comeback to cross country.
"The relays offers best endurance and new experience as we prepare for world relays to challenge the 4x1,500m world record we set in Bahamas. It actually sets the momentum and bring confidence ahead of London World Championships," said Asbel.
Paul Tergat, the five-time world cross country champion, said he was grateful to witness the global event in East Africa.
"I love cross country running. Cross country runs through my veins. But we need a green environment for conducive sport. That's we participate in the greening Kampala event," said Tergat.
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/spo...r-top-honours-on-today-at-world-cross-meeting
Ni mbio ambazo uhudhuriwa na wanariadha wazoefu duniani, pale huwa inabainika nani mfalme wa dunia hii maana wote balaa.
Mashujaa wetu hawa kwenye hii picha hapa chini, wenye sura za kishujaa na tabasamu zinalodhihirisha kwamba wanajiamini, wamesogea sogea na mavazi yenye bendera ya taifa letu tukufu. Jina la nchi yetu litaingizwa kwenye vinywa vya mamilioni ya watu watakaotazama leo.
Wamehojiwa na kila mmoja ameonyesha kajiandaa vilivyo kuandika jina la nchi yetu kwenye mwezi ili lisomwe kila siku, hawana pressure yoyote ila kukomesha tu ndio zao.
team Kenya jogs around Kololo Grounds ahead of IAAF world cross country championship schedulled for Sunday, March 26, 2017.[PHOTO
ENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD]WORLD CROSS SCHEDULE
1:30pm: Opening Ceremony
2pm: Mixed Relay
2:30pm Under 20 Women
3pm: Medal Ceremony Mixed Relay
3:10pm: Under 20 Men
3:40pm: Medal ceremony under 20 Women
3:55pm: Senior Women
4:40pm:Medal Ceremony under 20 Men
4:55pm: Senior Men
5:30pm Medal Ceremony Senior Women
1745 Medal Ceremony Senior Men
1800 Mass Race
At exactly 2pm today, the athletics world is expected to temporarily come to stand still as the 42nd World Cross Country event starts at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, Uganda.
Anxiety is building among the 557 athletes from the 59 countries present in Kampala, with Kenyans vowing to shrug off the opposition and hold a firm grip on the event they have dominated over the years.
Leonard Komon, the team captain, said they are ready to stage a good show and ensure Kenya remains on top of the world.
"We are under no pressure. We have the experience and the best athletes in this team. We have explored all avenues of excelling here and I have no doubt that we will triumph," said Komon, the world 10km and 15km record holder.
Komon, who is staging his comeback in Kampala after bagging silver at the 2008 spectacle in Edinburgh, said they wanted to prove to the world that Kenya is an athletics superpower.
"We know other countries strive to match our performances but remember athletics, especially middle and long distance running, is a sport I can say 'it's made in Kenya and meant for Kenyans'. We just need a good weather," said Komon.
Faith Cheng'etich, the Olympic 1,500m champion and women's team captain, said the cross country battle serves as build up ahead of the IAAF World Athletics Championships that runs in London from August 4 to 12.
"I have gained enough endurance for 1,500m race and ready to take on my opponents here and in London World Championships. We have been to Kololo Independence Grounds and the course is familiar to me. I doubt if we will face any challenge," said Chepng'etich, who boasts two world cross junior titles and an African senior cross country title.
Uganda has won 19 medals at the world cross country championships and apparently with no gold medal.
And Stephen Kiprotich, the 2012 London Olympics marathon champion, said they are craving for a maiden gold jewel today.
"We are happy to host the event. The course is perfect but a bit challenging. If chances come our way, we will seize the opportunity," Kiprotich said.
Asbel Kiprop, the three-time world 1,500m champion, will anchor the mixed medley relay squad against Olympic silver medallists Genzebe Dibaba (1,500m) of Ethiopia and America's Paul Chelimo (5,000m).
"It's a new experience for us but we have prepared enough for the opposition," Asbel said.
Kenya and Ethiopia are the most successful countries in the world championships' history, having won 122 of the 161 available team titles in World Cross-Country Championships.
The two nations have met 123 times where both have fielded full teams, with Kenya besting Ethiopia 80-42. Kenya has won six individual senior women's titles.
And it will be no mean task for Kenya.
They have a tall order striving to sweep all individual team titles they last won in 1994 and 2010. Ethiopia won in 2008.
The team longs to replay performances of 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 2010, where they swept all available team titles.
In those these years, Kenyans won team gold medals in senior and under-20 races and in 2010, Kenya won all four individual titles.
Kenya and Ethiopia are only nations to have won individual medal sweeps in the 44-year history of world cross country championships.
Meanwhile Lord Sebastian Coe, the IAAF President, said he would live up to his commitment to improve athletics in Africa.
"It has been my desire to see African athletics develop and grow her talents and that's why within few months after I assumed office, I ensured we brought the IAAF Diamond League to Africa (Rabat, Morocco, which replaced Adidas Grand Prix in New York). And here we are again," said Coe during the press conference in Kampala yesterday.
"This is the year of innovations...we have introduced new ideas in Australia and the mixed relays in world cross country championships, which we believed will help boost the championships.
"It's unfortunate we will not have the refugee team here since we experienced some administrative challenges. I pay glowing tribute to Tegla Loroupe (the former world marathon record holder) here.
"Let me assure you that we will have the refugee team during the IAAF World Relay Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, next month," he said.
Asbel Kiprop, the three-time world 1,500m champion, said the medley relay contest motivated him to his comeback to cross country.
"The relays offers best endurance and new experience as we prepare for world relays to challenge the 4x1,500m world record we set in Bahamas. It actually sets the momentum and bring confidence ahead of London World Championships," said Asbel.
Paul Tergat, the five-time world cross country champion, said he was grateful to witness the global event in East Africa.
"I love cross country running. Cross country runs through my veins. But we need a green environment for conducive sport. That's we participate in the greening Kampala event," said Tergat.
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/spo...r-top-honours-on-today-at-world-cross-meeting
