Charles Nyende and Peter Ng'etich
11 September 2008
Nairobi — Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru will lead a strong Kenyan team to the IAAF World Half Marathon Championship to be held in Rio de Janeiro on October 12.
Wanjiru, the fastest man in the world over the distant with a time of 59.33 minutes, was on Thursday named by Athletic Kenya in a team of seven men and seven women to represent the country in this annual international road event.
Six of the seven runners in the men's team have run under an hour including Patrick Musyoka with an impressive personal best of 58.56 ran last year, Francis Larabar (personal best of 59.26) and Stephen Kibiwot (59.54).
Wanjiru, Musyoki and Larabal were in the Kenya squad that won the team title last year, when the event was known as the World Road Running Championship.
The women's field is no less impressive with Philes Ongori the fastest at 67.57, well known Pamela Chechumba who won the Bogota Half Marathon in July and Olympiad Penninah Arusei all named in the team.
Last year's championship was won by Kenyan born Dane Lorna Kiplagat in a time of 66.25. Kenya has won the overall men and women team titles for the last two years.
Confirm availability
"We picked the team according to their IAAF ranking and will be going out to defend our titles," AK public relations officer Peter Angwenyi said.
He appealed to the named athletes to confirm their availability by Friday next week. Five men and five women will travel to Brazil for the championship.
Kenya team: Men - Samuel Wanjiru, Patrick Musyoki, Joseph Nganga, Mekubo Mogusu, Elijah Keitany, Stephen Kibiwott, Francis Larabar. Women - Philes Ongori, Penninah Arusei, Julia Muraga, Pamela Chepchumba, Lenah Cheruiyot, Philomena Cheyech, Paline Wangui.
Meanwhile, the yearly Family Bank half marathon will be held this weekend in Eldoret.
Willy Korir who clocked 1:03.12 during the 21 kilometre race is expected to defend his title in a meet which 200 athletes have already registered. Over 300 athletes took part in last year's race.
Hellen Kiprop who clocked 1:14.45 won the women's category and is also expected to defend her title.
The winners in the men and women categories will walk home with Sh30,000 while the second and third placed athletes will get Sh15,000 and Sh5,000 respectively.
The fourth, fifth, and sixth placed persons will also go home with Sh2,000 in the race which will be held on Sunday.
Speaking to the Nation, Uasin Gishu Athletics Kenya (AK) spokesman John Kiptum said registration which is free was still going on at a desk set aside by the bank located along Kenyatta Street.
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