Three-time 1500m Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon is set to compete in the fourth edition of the Absa Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour this Saturday, February 22, at Lobo Village, Kapseret, in Eldoret City.
Kipyegon, returns to Sirikwa after winning the 10km race in the 2023 edition. She will go head-to-head in the 10km event against Agnes Jebet, the10km world record holder and Ruth Chepng’etich Marathon world record holder and Chicago Marathon champion.
The 31-year-old kick-started her 2023 season by clinching the Sirikwa title, before going on to win gold medals in both 1500m and 5000m at the Budapest World Athletics Championships.
In the men’s 10km elite race, the spotlight will be on Stanley Waithaka – 2022 World silver medalist in both 5000m and 10,000m.
Prize money and schedule
Meanwhile according to the organisers, over 500 local athletes will participate in the 6 main categories: under 20 km women and 8 km women, 10 km men and women, and the 2 km loop for men and women.
Saturday’s program will begin at 9am with the 2km run for boys and girls between 13 and 15 years, followed by the 1km run for boys and girls between 9 and 12 years at 10am, and concluding with the 500m run for boys and girls from 10:40am.
Core events will start at 12:10pm with the women’s loop 2km, followed by the men’s loop 2km 10 minutes later and the award ceremonies for the winners.
The 6km under 20 women will kick off at 1:15pm, followed by the 8km under 20 men 30 minutes later, and conclude with the medal ceremonies.
The 10 km women and men will wrap up the day’s events starting at 2:25 pm and 3:10 pm, respectively, before the medal ceremonies at 3:50 pm.
Winners of the 10 km races will receive Ksh 780,000, 650,000 for silver medallists, and 520,000 for bronze medalists.
The under-20 category winners will receive Ksh 162,500, the first runner-up Ksh 130,000, and the second runner-up Ksh 104,000.
The Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country tour is the only gold-label cross-country event in Africa’s World Athletics Cross Country Series calendar that was introduced in 2022.
