Catherine Kirui wins the 2005 Kenyan Prison Services' 8km xc race. (© Omulo Okoth)
Catherine Kirui, 28, pulled off one of the 2005 Kenyan domestic cross country season's greatest upsets when she mowed down a star-studded 8km field in the Kenya Prison Services Cross Country Championships in this sleepy town 15km north of Nairobi, today.
However, on the the defeated three-time World Cross Country champion Edith Masai was still confident of successfully retaining her title when the 2005 championships are played out in St-Etienne/St-Galmier, France, in March.
Finished over a minute ahead
Kirui, sister of former two-time World 5000m champion Ismael Kirui and the late Richard Chelimo, 1992 Barcelona Olympics 10,000m silver medallist, won the race hands-down, beating a distant second-placed Margaret Okayo with Susan Chepkemei third. Kirui, clocked 27:53, with Okayo timed in 28:54 and Chepkemei in 28:57.
World Marathon champion and Olympics silver medallist Catherine Ndereba dropped out after five kilometres with a stomach stitch, while the three-time World Cross Country short race champion Edith Masai was seventh in 30:09 but she was quick to explain that she was still building up her endurance.
This was one of the most ever awaited races in the Prison Services Championships history. The race staged at their staff training college, with a line-up that read like a 'who-is-who' from the international elite marathon circuit. Kirui was at least star-struck, nerves shooting her to the front after the first lap with only Jane (Jepkorir) Aiyabei following.
The 'bigger sisters' of the Kenya Prisons 'Golden Ladies' were nowhere, only seeing Kirui's dust from afar as she opened an ever bigger gap with every kilometre.
"I am now back in circulation after many years but I can't give a firm statement until the National Championships," said the 28-year-old Kirui.Okayo who was a promising junior, and was third in last summer’s African Championships 10,000m.
Kiprui who took part in the World Cross Country in 1991 as a 15-year-old (one of two occasions on which she finished 6th) and was apart of three gold medal winning Kenyan junior teams (and one bronze winning squad) would like to make Kenya's team for the 2005 World Cross Country Championships. She has the following personal bests - 1500m (4:24.6h, 2004), 3000m ( 9:31.43, 1998), 5000m (15:42.64, 1995), 10,000m (32:16.5hA, 2004), 10km (32:02, 2004), Half Marathon (70:38, 2004).
Masai aims at six titles!
Ndereba wasn't too disappointed by her DNF and seems to be interested in competing at this year’s World Cross, but the most eloquent of the greats who Kirui had vanquished was Masai, who had just returned from a road and cross country racing tour of Europe.
"I will not just retain my title in France but my (long term) goal is to bag six World titles to surpass John Ngugi's and Paul Tergat's five world titles," said Masai, 37. Masai became the oldest woman (at 34) to win a World Cross Country title, when taking her first victory in Dublin in 2002. She again won in Lausanne in 2003 and Brussels last year.
Reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion Selina Kosgei won the 4km race in 14:27
Omulo Okoth (The Standard) and the IAAF
Leading results
MEN
4km
1. Lukas Kibet 11:53
2. Edwin Koech 11:54
3. Jonathan Komen 12:06
4. Evans Kipchumba 12:20
5. James Masese 12:22
12km
1. Simon Njuguna 37:53
2. George Kirwa 38:24
3. John Kipchumba 38:41
4. Philemon Simatwa 38:42
5. Charles Kanyao 39:13
WOMEN
4km
1. Selina Kosgei 14:27
2. Katunge Mutune 14:42
3. Frashiah Nyambura 14:46
4. Lucy Cherotich 14:56
5. Christine Misoi 14:59
8km
1. Catherine Kirui 27:53
2. Margaret Okayo 28:54
3. Susan Chepkemei 28:57
4. Joan Aiyabei 29:15
5. Jane Muya 29:15
