NAIROBI, Kenya, February 17, 2025 – Close to 20 foreign athletes are among hundreds who will compete in Saturday’s Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour at the Lobo Village in Eldoret.
According to the start list released on Monday afternoon, the athletes come from the Eastern African neighbours of Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia as well as far flung countries, such as Germany, Ukraine and Poland.
Notable among the foreign contingent is Ugandan Loice Chekwemoi who shocked the home crowd when she cruised to victory at the second edition of the Great Chepsaita Cross Country in Uasin Gishu in December last year.
She will be competing in the senior women’s race where a star-studded cast of Kenyan athletes await her, led by world record holder for the women’s 10km, Agnes Jebet.
The senior men’s category will feature the highest number of foreigners (12), with a further seven competing in the women’s division.
The Under 20 men’s 8km will see Uganda’s Abraham Cherotich pit his wits and feet against the home contingent.
Saturday’s event will be the fourth edition of the World Cross Country Tour gold label competition since the inaugural one at the same venue in 2022.
Back then, it was christened the Agnes Tirop Memorial in honour of the 2016 World Cross Country champion who passed away a few months earlier due to a domestic quarrel in Iten.
As has been the custom, this year’s edition will be preceded by a kids’ athletics competition in which primary school-going children from surrounding institutions will raise the curtains on the global event.
Meet director Barnaba Korir says this is in the spirit of nurturing their talent and inspiring them to aim higher in their efforts to become elite.
“We are working closely with several primary schools and we will have the kids athletics on that day to inspire the young ones and give them a platform to grow their talents,” Korir said.
The competition is expected to be graced by several high-profile officials including Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, Principal Secretary Peter Tum, Uasin Gishu governor Jonathan Bii, and Athletics Kenya (AK) president Lt Gen (Rtd) Jack Tuwei, among others.
Foreign athletes to compete at Sirikwa Classic
Under 20 men’s 8km
- Abraham Cherotich (Uganda)
Senior women’s 10km
- Chekwemoi Loice (Uganda)
- Kaliuzhna Viktoriia (Ukraine)
- Nyzhnyk Olga (Ukraine)
- Shimket Yenenesh (Ethiopia)
- Anley Asmarech (Ethiopia)
- Chemutai Martha (Uganda)
- Valova Silvie (Czech Republic)
Senior men’s 10km
- Wele John (Tanzania)
- Damasi Francis (Tanzania)
- Boch Simon (Germany)
- Ihlow Nic (Germany)
- Nyzhnyk Mykola (Ukraine)
- Kiprop Keneth (Uganda)
- Zajic Martin (Czech Republic)
- Kiprotich Martin Magengo (Uganda)
- Kasaye Adehena (Ethiopia)
- Zalewski Krystian (Poland)
- Mahatare Harshad (India)
- Pal Abishek (India)
