Matthew Kisorio running in Eldoret in the 2009 Discovery XC (© David Macharia)
World junior 5000 metres silver medallist Matthew Kisorio won the 12km senior race at the 16th edition of the Discovery Cross Country Championship held in Eldoret, Kenya (25).
Kisorio, a final year student at Kosirai secondary school in Nandi district, the home area of other stars like Olympic champions Wilfred Bungei and Pamela Jelimo and World titleholder Janeth Jepkosgei, clocked 37:54 to win and immediately declared, “it is only the national cross country trials that stand between me and the World Cross Country Championships.”
Kisorio took command of the race midway and raised the pace, thus scattering a lead group that comprised World Marathon champion Luke Kibet, 2007 World Junior Cross Country champion Asbel Kiprop, former World Cross bronze medallist Barnabas Kosgei, and Qatari athlete Essa Ismail Rashid.
It was only Rashid who tried to hang on with Kisorio until the fourth lap when Kosgei and Enock Mitei overtook him (Rashid) to take the second and third places in 37:57.0 and 38:10.6 respectively.
Kibet finished 7th in 38:317 while Kiprop was 17th in 39:11.4.
The senior women’s race was won by Hellah Chelagat Kiprop in 28:38.2 and saw three members of the Kenyan team from the 1998 World XC team, Lydia Cheromei, Sally Barsosio and Leah Malot, finish in the top ten. Cheromei, who is the Amsterdam Marathon champion finished third in 29:19.7, Malot was 7th in 30:12.9 and Barsosio 8th in 30:34.5. Second position went to Pascaline Chepkorir in 28:55.1.
2008 World Junior Cross Country bronze medallist Lucas Rotich won the junior men’s race in 25:10.3 after beating John Kiplimo (25:11.0) in the last 200m of the race.
World 800m champions Alfred Kirwa and Janeth Jepkosgei, Olympic 1500 champion Nancy Chebet, multiple Boston marathon winner Robert Cheruiyot, Britain’s Mohammed Farah, and Athletics Kenya’s President Isaiah Kiplagat and Gneral Secretary David Okeyo were among the spectators.
The event was not held last year after violence broke out in the country following the disputed national elections.
David Macharia (Daily Nation) for the IAAF
RESULTS
Junior women; (1) Purity Cherotich 21:44.9 (2) Faith Ngetich 21:44.8 (3) Valentine Kipketer 22:06.7 (4) Gladys Jepkorir 22:10.3 (5) Virginia Nyambura 22:16.3 (6) Pauline Iyapan 22:18.3 (7) Chebet Cheptai 22:18.5 (8) Jackline Chepngeno 22:18.7 (9) Brigid Jepchirchir 22:18.9 (10) Miriam Muthoni 22:25.4
Junior men (1) Lucas Kiprotich 25:10.3 (2) John Kiplimo 25:11.0 (3) Peter Kosgei 25:14.0 (4) Gilbert masai 25:16.8 (5) Titus Mbishei 25:20.2 (6) Philemon Rono 25:29.6 (7) Pater Kimeli 25:32.4 (8)Stephen Kosgei 25:33.6 (9) Benson Waweru 25:47.1 (10) John Kemboi 25:41.6
Senior women (1) Hellah Chelagat 28:38.2 (2) Pascaline Chepkorir 28:55.1 (3) Lydia Cheromei 29:19.7 (4) Philomena Cheyech 29:37.8 (5) Monica Chepkoech 29:43.4 (6) Alicent Ruto 30:01.6 (7) Leah Malot 30:12.9 (8) Sally Barsosio 30:34.5 (9) Priscillah Lorichem 30:44.5 (10) Jane Saurei 30:57.5.
Senior men (1) Matthew Kisorio 37:54.0 (2) Barnabas Kosgei 37:57.4 (3) Enoch Mitei 38:10.6 (4) Essa Ismael Rashid 38:18.9 (5) Sammy Kurui 38:23.3 (6) Justus Mogere 38:23.6 (7) Luke Kibet 38:31.7 (8) Geoffrey Keter 38:40.7 (9) Joel Kumurere 38:41.2 (10) Richard Ndegwa 38:45.9
