Kisii, Kenya - 2006 World Junior Cross Country champion, Mangata Ndiwa appears to be making a successful transition to the seniors men’s division, just like his counterpart Pauline Korikwiang is doing in the senior women’s side of the sport.

Ndiwa, like Korikwiang a winner in the junior race at the 34th IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, blew the opposition apart to win the senior men’s race at the fourth meet of the 2008/09 Athletics Kenya Cross Country series which was held at the Kisii Golf Club in western Kenya Saturday (14).

Korikwiang was not in the line-up yesterday, but the G4S-sponsored athlete has already won two of the four races of the series in Machakos and Meru last month. Instead the senior women’s 8km title in Kisii fell to Irene Limika with Jackline Chebii and Japheth Korir taking the junior titles under scorching heat.

The field of runners assembled on the nine-hole golf course was quite impressive with Olympic 10,000 metres bronze medallist Micah Kogo “teeing off” early and leaving the rest of the field battling to stay on par to avoid missing the cut.

But the hilly course was soon to take its toll on the Beijing hero, allowing Ndiwa to take over at the crucial point with just 200 metres to go and win the race in 37 minutes and 10 seconds with Kogo second in 37:15.3.

“I’m excited with my victory because the field was quite tough and it all boiled down to experience,” said Ndiwa.

The tough course also claimed reigning World Youth (Ostrava, 2007) and Junior (Bydgoszcz, 2008) 3000m champion Mercy Cherono, who had been the winner of the senior women’s race at Kericho last month in the second meet of the series.

Cherono pulled out after just two kilometres of the junior women’s 6km race after staying ahead of the field, the effects of a busy late-year schedule beginning to show on the 17-year-old from neighbouring Kericho.

Jackline Chebii took over and breasted the tape in 20 minutes, 44.07 seconds with Helda Chepkemoi placing second in 20:48.07 followed by her Kiptenden Athletics Club, Kericho, teammate Judith Chepkoech (20:50.00).

Irine Limika, who clocked 2:28.31 at last October’s Frankfurt Marathon, dominated the women’s eight-kilometre race stopping the clock at 29:02.20. She was followed by Purity Wangoi (29:12.52) with home girl Jackline Okemwa third in 29:19.69.

“It’s a great result considering that I have been in Kenya for just three weeks now after returning from the US where I was training and competing in a few races,” Kenya Navy’s Limika, also a steeplechaser, said.

Limika clocked 1:10.51 in a half marathon in Philadelphia in September before travelling to the Frankfurt Marathon.

The next race of the six-meet series sponsored by the Kenya Commercial Bank will be run on December 27 in Nyahururu, central Kenya.

Elias Makori for IAAF

Selected Results:

12 km senior men
1. Mangata Ndiwa, 37:10.0; 2. Micah Kogo, 37:15.3, Timothy Kiptoo, 37:17.9; 4. Bernard Rotich, 37:37.5, 5. Gilbert Langat 37:45.0, 6. Peter Bii, 37:48.6, 7. Wilson Kipsang 37:54.0, 8. Stephen Tum , 37:58.3, 9. Raphael ole Kei 38.04.8, 10. Joshua Kiplimo 38:06.9.

8km senior women
1. Irene Limika, 29:02.20; 2. Pauline Wangoi 29:12.52; 3. Jackline Okemwa 29:19.69; 4. Joyce Wanjiku 29:30.69; 5. Alice Mogire 29:33.73; 6. Ann Wanjiru 29:51.39; 7. Carolyne Chepkorir, 32:32.62, 8. Jackline Nyangeri, 30:35.00;9 Jane Wanja, 30:38.52; 10. Irene Mongare 30:41.47.

6km junior women
 1. Jackline Chebii 20, 44.7; 2. Hilda Chepkemoi 20:48.7;3. Judith Chepkoech 20:50.0; 4. Faith Chepngetich, 21:30.08; 5. Purity Cherotich 21:46.0; 6. Jane Onyangi 21:55.00; 7. Lucy Mwemi 22:19.00; 8. Rosemary Mburu, 22:21.00, 9. Sheila Chepkurui 22:29.00; 10. Emily Cheruto 22:33.00.

8km junior men
Japheth Korir 24:12.00; 2. Fredrick Musyoki, 24:38.00; 3. Charles Kibet, 24:42.0. 4. Silas Kiplagat, 24:43.00; 5. John Mwangangi, 24:49.00; 6. Charles Bore, 24.51.00. 7.Patrick Mwaka (24.56.0), 8. Silas Koskei (24:80.0), 9. Erick Langat (25.03.0), 10. Isaiah Ondiek (25.04.0).