Tanzania runners ready for World Cross Country
Tanzania runners compete in a past event. Tanzania will field four runners in the World Athletics Cross Country Championship to be held on February 18 in Australia. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- The runners are Inyasi Sulle, Fabian Nelson, Mathayo Sumbi and Josephat Joshua who will compete in the 10km race
Dar es Salaam. Four runners have been selected to represent Tanzania in the World Cross Country Championship scheduled to take place on February 18 in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia.
The runners are Inyasi Sulle, Fabian Nelson, Mathayo Sumbi and Josephat Joshua who will compete in the 10km race.
They are currently in intensive training in Arusha under the head coach Dennis Malle, according to Athletics Tanzania (AT) vice president William Kallaghe. Kallaghe said the runners will move to Dar es Salaam on February 12 for the official farewell to be coordinated by the government.
“Currently, the runners and their coach are staying at Mvono Hotel in Arusha and train at the Ilboru grounds. The training is also supervised by several athletics coaches based in Arusha. The aim is to share knowledge that will enable the runners to shine,” said Kallaghe.
He said the runners have been selected after meeting the qualification standards and the criteria of AT’s technical committee in cooperation of the head coach.
He explained that the runners are expected to do well in the competition that will also feature top runners in the world. He said they did not include women runners because they did not meet their criteria.
“We cannot send the runners, who do not meet our criteria. We normally focus on competitive ones, who, we believe, will do their best to promote our country abroad,” said Kallaghe,
In last year’s edition, African countries namely Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Morocco dominated the event by winning top four positions.
Kenyan stars, Joshua Cheptegei, who spent 31:40 minutes and Hellen Obiri, who spent 36:14 minutes, won the 10 kilometre event for both men and women.
Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda who spent 31:44 minutes and Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya who spent 31:55 minutes held the second and third positions for men while Dera Dida of Ethiopia, who spent 36:16 minutes and Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia, who spent 36:24 minutes, held the second and third positions for women.
For the ‘junior’ boys, Ethiopian Milkesa Mengesha came out on top and Beatrice Chebet of Kenya took the first position for the ‘junior’ girls.
