TZ eye medals at world meet

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian athletes were in high spirits yesterday, raring to shine at the IAAF World Cross Country Championship in Uganda despite the expected stiff competition from Kenyans and Ethiopians.

Fourty athletes will represent Tanzania at the event sanctioned by the IAAF. The athletes, who left for Uganda yesterday for the event to be held at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, promised to do Tanzanians proud.

The team’s head coach, Francis John, said his runners will not afford another dismal show as they seek to overcome stiff opposition from Kenyans and Ethiopians.

“Our athletes are ready. I’m optimistic that we will compete well in Kampala,” said John.

“They are set for individual and team titles. It is not the first time that they are meeting them. They have faced them in various international competitions,” he said. More than 550 athletes from 59 countries and one refugee team from South Sudan will take part, making the event the biggest cross country meeting since 2006 where 574 competitors took part in the Japanese city of Fukuoka.

Kenya and Ethiopia have dominated the event since 1981 and all eyes will be on the two running-mad nations at Kampala’s Kololo grounds, scene of Uganda’s Independence celebrations in October 1962. Kenya won the men’s senior title a record 18 years in row from 1986 to 2003, with most of the wins under former national team coach Mike Kosgei.

Kosgei is back with Kenya as the deputy team manager for Kampala championships, and the veteran coach has warned that although Kenya will field a formidable team, the hosts and a couple of countries with former Kenyan-born athletes should not be underrated.

Kenya and Ethiopia have named an array of Olympic and world champions in their teams for the relays, which will be held before the main competition.

The world cross country championship is considered one of the most difficult races to win, even more difficult than the Olympic Games, due to the tough course terrains.

Uganda becomes only the fourth African country to host the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) event in its 44th year history.

Morocco hosted twice in 1975 and 1998, South Africa in 1996 and Kenya in 2007. The competition was changed from an annual to a biennial event in 2011.

Local runners had camped in Arusha under close supervision of four coaches ahead of the anxiously awaited championship.