ATHLETICS

Olympic champions to participate in Ndalat Grass Cross

Athletics who won different medals in the just concluded Olympic champions will participate in this year 8^th Edition of the Ndalat Gaa Cross County marathon.

The official launch was done at the Athletics Kenya (AK) head office, Riadha House. The 8^th edition of Ndalat Gaa Cross country will be held on 15^th October at Mosop constituency in Nandi County.

Athletics Kenya Central Rift Chairman Abraham “solo” Mutai said “this year’s race is bigger than the previous races and the participants expected to more than 5,000.”

The winners of senior races will get Kshs 40,000, veterans Kshs 15,000 and all top 20 finishers will be rewarded.

The race ambassador, 3,000m steeplechase Olympic gold medalist Conseslus Kipruto said he will be part of the race because he is also the product of Ndalat Gaa. “My first cross country that I ever ran was Ndalat and I was in high school and am so proud to be associated with this great event.”

Nicodemus Kipkirui and Caroline Chepkoech will be defending the men and women crowns which they took last year.

“We have partnered with Kimbilio Hospice that cares about cancer and HIV patients and we are pleased to say that it’s the biggest cancer institution in Kenya and is based in Kipkaren near the border of Uasin Gishu and Nandi”, said Joel Sawe the CEO of Kimbilio Hospice.

The president of Athletics Kenya Jackson Tuwei said that, “there are individuals who are holding athletics event without the AK certificate, we warn them and the sponsors who are part of these races to desist from the exercise and seek the office clearance.”

“AK cannot authorize events that they don’t adhere to the doping bill,” said AK president Tuwei.

The race has been put into 5 categories, 7- 12 years, 13 – 18 years, Senior Men and Women and the last category is the veterans.

The deputy governor of Nandi County Dominic Biwott said, “We are happy for this course that has given us an identity in the country.

“We will contribute 1.2 million towards the event, offer ambulance services and close all roads the race will use,” said the deputy governor Nandi County.

Mosop Member of Parliament Kirwa Bitok said that they are happy to host the event in his home area and he will support the event with Kshs 300,000.

The Nandi women representative Hon. Zipporah Kering who also worked with the AK before she joined politics also pledged Kshs 500,000 towards the event. She said athletics made her who she is today “through athletics I have grown and as you can see am a the women rep of Nandi County,” said Zipporah.

The race was the brain child of the late Athletics Kenya President Isaiah Kiplagat which he started eight years ago. This is the last time the race will be called Ndalat Gaa cross country, we will change the name from next season to honor our Former Athletics Kenya President the late Isaac Kiplagat, said the Mutai.

Ndalat Gaa cross Country has produced some of the finest athletes ruling the world they include, Eliud Kipchoge the London Marathon and Olympic Champion gold medalist, Stanley Biwott, Prisca Cheptoo,Agnes Tirop and Faith Chepngetich the Olympic 1500m gold Medalist who has won the marathon four season consecutively.

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