Africa Youth 3,000m silver medalist Debora Chemutai has set her focus to compete at the second edition of Sirikwa Cross country meeting next month.
The Form Four student at Cheptonoi, who has specialized in 3,000m and 5,000m races said that she did not manage to cut into the kenya team after finishing in 10th position at the national trials held last month at the Ruiru Prisons.
“I did not run well because I was sick but right now, I have recovered in readiness for the Sirikwa Classic cross country meeting in Eldoret,” said Chemutai after winning the Athletics Kenya Central Rift cross country championships held on Saturday at the Lobo village in Kapseret, Uasin Gishu County with a time of 20:26.3.
Sirikwa Classic, former Agnes Tirop Memorial cross country is set to be held on February 4th, the last World Athletics Cross country meeting ahead of World Cross country championships that will be held on February 18th in Bathurst, Australia.
She said that the win at the Central Rift gave her another chance to progress and run well at the national cross country championships at Ruiru Prisons.
“Winning here today was a plus for me because I have not had many races. I Won silver in 3,000m at Africa Youth in Ivory Coast before missing to run for Kenya at the Africa cross country that was caused by coronavirus,” she said.
Having a bad day in 2022, she missed another opportunity to run for the country at the World Under 20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, with the same thing happening in 2021 in Nairobi, kenya.
“I have had two chances that I missed to compete for the country on track. I missed both the 2021 and 2022 World under 20 championships after finishing third at the national trials in both scenarios in the 3,000m and 5,000m,” she said.
“Competing at the Sirikwa will add value to me after missing the Bathurst trip. Since the same course I competed in today will be the same for Sirikwa, I have learnt much about it,” she narrated.
Apart from her accolades, she was also the pace setter for 5,000m at the Kip Keino classic in 5,000m where Ethiopian Girmawit Gibrzihair won the race in 14:49.57.
“Right now my target is to train well for the title chase here at home,” she said.