Peter Kosgei on his way to winning the men's 12km race at the 2009 North Rift Valley Provincial championships in Nandi. (© Joseph Ngure)
Peter Kosgei from Keiyo and Hiron Ng'etich of Nandi Central have joined Kenya's never-drying production line of distance runners from the vast Rift Valley Province.
The two, never heard of before at the national stage, won the men's 12km and women's 8km races at the North Rift valley Provincial Cross Country Championships on Saturday (14) in the tea plantations of Nandi Hills, near Kapsabet, which is home of Olympic 800m champions Wilfred Bungei and Pamela Jelimo and Olympic silver medalist Janeth Jepkosgei.
Kosgei only boasts of having won the Keiyo District competition last week. Today at the Nandi Hills, he beat 132 participants to win 35:36.6.
Philemon Limo from Marakwet was second in 35:45.2 with Uasin Gishu East?s Sammy Kirui third in 35:51.0.
The women's race, flagged by Jepkosgei, Hiron Ng'etich stopped the clock at 27:14.7 to complete Keiyo's dominance in the longer races.
Chemutai Rionotukei, running for Pokot West, was second in 27:54.9 and Priscila Lorchima (Pokot Central) third in 28:07.3.
- Nairobi Province
After missing slots in the ever-competitive Armed Forces team for next week's National Championships-cum-IAAF Permit Meeting in Nairobi, Abraham Chirchir wne tthrough the men's 12km race like a hot knife through butter.
He won the race in 36:38.2, well ahead of second-placed James Kigen (36:42.4) and Bernard Waweru (36:43.4).
Also lucky to get a slot after being left out of the Armed Forces team was Kiprono Menjo, who was fourth in 36:47.0.
In the women's contest Bosnia-based marathoner Lucia Kimani destroyed the women's 8km field, winning in 29:02.0 with Margaret Wangeci a poor second in 29:12.0. Kimani represented Bosnia at the Beijing Olympic where she finished 42nd in the Marathon. She is training for the Daegu Marathon in Korea in April.
Mercy Cherono, who holds the world junior 3000m title, was virtually unrivalled in the women's 6km race, which she won by a margin of 120 metres from her closest opponent, Cynthia Cherop.
Cherono, who won 3000m gold in the World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland last year, timed 20:01.3 while Cherop did 20:48.4 as third-placed Esther Chemtai ran 20:59.2.
Kipkemboi Lagat won the boy's 8km race in 24:11.8 with Nelson Kogei second in 24:16.1 and Ishmael Bundendich third in 24:17.8.
- Kenya Universities and Colleges Championships
Japhenth Netto of Egerton University won the men's 12km race at a low-key Kenya Universities and Colleges cross-country championships on Saturday.
The event held at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture Technology in Juja, some 40km north of Nairobi, attracted a paltry 25 runners, four of them women from the six universities.
Netto timed 39:40.9 ahead of Alvin Bett of Jomo Kenyatta, who stopped the clock at 39:55.7 and Leonard Muchila of Kenyatta University, who timed 40:06.4.
Kenya University's Florence Kimaiyo was the best of the four women. She clocked 34:44.7 as Peninah Ndeke of Egerton followed in 36:46.3 and Sharon Kiprotich of Kenyatta University came third in 40:43.
Note: Kenyatta University is different from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture Technology.
Omulo Okoth (The Standard) for the IAAF
Leading Results (all 14-Feb) -
North Rift Valley Provincial Championships
Senior MEN (12 km) -
1. Peter Kosgei (Keiyo) 35:36.6
2. Philemon Limo (Marakwet) 35:45.2
3. Sammy Kirui (UG East) 35:51.0
4. Yusuf Biwott (Individual) 35:53.3
5. Cyrus Sang (Nandi C) 35:55.6
6. Linus Maiyo (UG East) 36:11.4
Senior WOMEN (8 km) -
1. Hiron Ng'etich (Nandi C) 27:14.7
2. Chemutai Rionotukei (Pokot W) 27:54.9
3. Priscila Lorchima (Pokot C) 28:07.3
4. Veronica Cheboi (Marakwet) 28:12.1
5. Rose Chepsongol (Pokot C) 28:14.2
6. Eunice Cheiyech (Pokot W) 28:17.9
Junior MEN (8 km) -
1. John Chepkwony (Nandi C) 23:34.5
2. Philemon Rono (Marakwet) 23:34.8
3. John Kemboi (Keiyo) 23:50.1
4. Cyrus Kosgei (Marakwet) 23:53.9
5. Timothy Kosgei (Marakwet) 23:55.9
6. Dennis Nguran (Pokot C) 24:01.9
Junior WOMEN (6 km) -
1. Valentine Kipketer (UG East) 20:06.4
2. Chebet Cheptai (Pokot C) 20:27.4
3. Evaline Kiprobei (Marakwet) 20:36.5
4. Jackline Atundonyang (Pokot C) 20:42.4
5. Gladys Chesir (Marakwet) 20:50.8
6. Delvin Mengor (Pokot C) 20:55.3
Nairobi Provincial Championships
Senior MEN (12 km) -
1. Abraham Chirchir 36:38.2
2. James Kigen 36:42.4
3. Bernard Waweru 36:43.4
4. Kiprono Menjo 36:47.0
5. Victor Kigen 36:53.0
6. Elijah Muturi 36:53.4
Senior WOMEN (8 km) -
1. Lucia Kimani (BIH) 29:02.0
2. Margaret Wangechi 29:12.0
3. Karen Waithera 29:42.1
4. Doreen Kithaka 30:01.0
5. Esther Kambura 30:17.7
6. Miriam Musengya 30:26.2
Junior WOMEN (6 km) -
1. Mercy Cherono 20:01.3
2. Cynthia Cherop 20:48.4
3. Esther Chemtai 20:59.2
4. Zeddy Chelangat 21:40.2
5. Fridah Chemutai 21:58.1
6. Linet Cheruto 22:18.3
Junior MEN (8 km) -
1. Kipkemoi Lagat 24:11.8
2. Nelson Kogei 24:16.1
3. Ishmael Bundendich 24:17.8
4. Cheruiyot Koech 24:27.5
5. Geoffrey Ngeno 24:34.8
6. Simon Mulinge 24:47.8
Universities and Colleges -
MEN (12 km) -
1. Japheth Netto (Egerton) 39:40.9
2. Alvin Bett (Jomo Kenyatta) 39:55.7
3. Leonard Muchila (Kenyatta Uni) 40:06.4
4. Timothy Chelanga (Kenyatta Uni) 40:36.5
5. Macharia (Jomo Kenyatta) 40:47.7
6. Henry Musyoki (Kenyatta Uni) 41:11.7
WOMEN (8 km) -
1. Florence Kimaiyo (Kenyatta Uni) 34:44.7
2. Peninah Ndeke (Egerton) 36:46.3
3. Sharon Kiprotich (Kenyatta Uni) 40:43
4. Rhoda Chebet (Kenyatta Uni) 44:33.2
Eastern Province Championships
Senior MEN (12 km) -
1. Elijah Mwaniki (Embu) 36:29
2. Daniel Mbogo (Embu) 36:32
3. David Nthiga (Embu) 36:49
4. Martin Kinyua (Embu) 36:45
5. David Kiama (Embu) 37:34
6. Timothy Kinoti (Imenti South) 37:53
Senior WOMEN (8 km) -
1. Fridah Kaimuri (KEMU) 27:33
2. Pauline Waruguru (Embu) 28:27
3. Frashiah Nyambura (Embu) 28:32
4. Lucy Karimi (Imenti South) 29:17
5. Nancy Kathure (KEMU) 29:25
Junior MEN (8 km) -
1. Daniel Kinyua (IND) 24:14
2. Kennedy Murithi (Embu) 25:04
3. Samuel Kiragu ((Imenti North) 25:06
Junior WOMEN (6 km) -
1. Rael Karambu (Tigania) 21:23
2. Leah Njoki Mbogo (Embu) 22:04
3. Rebecca Mwendwa (Tigania) 22:26
