Foreign athletes have been urged to register for the third edition of Moi Girls’ Kapsowar Charity and Conservation road race set for Saturday morning in Kapsowar, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The race has been categorized into two where elites will compete in the 10km while students will run 5km and a 2km race for corporate where the winners in the 10km (both men and women) will pocket Sh80,000 where the 10km race will start at the Cheptongei market, ending at the school compound.
The school principal Joan Too said that the race has attracted elite Kenyan and foreign athletes and she hopes that more will be signing up for the race as they fight to pay school fees for the needy students and conserve the environment especially in the terrains to eradicate landslides in the school and the region.
“Last year, the recorded nine foreign athletes competed in this race and we hope that more will come to compete again on this course. We have had a successful two years running the race and this time, it has grown to meet the requirements of an international runner,” said Too.
She said that since the inception of the race in 2021, they have supported about 250 students and the number will grow since many sponsors have come on board to support the race and the program of the school.
“This event is meant for a good course and many students have gained a lot. We have paid school fees for the needy and this year, now that we have many sponsors, some supporting individual students, we are going to do more,” she said.
Last year, Bravin Kiprop and Purity Komen won the 10km elite race. In men, Kiprop won after timing 28:39 ahead of Samuel Naibei (28:43) and Gilbert Kibet (29:14) who placed second and third respectively.
Komen led the women when she clocked 32:35.84. Upstart Naomi Jebet was second in 33:12.41 while Zenah Jeptoo completed the podium in 33:14.17.
The principal said that they want to register 600 students and about 300 elite runners to improve on last year’s show.
“The race has helped both the school students and the community at large. We are estimating to register a minimum of 600 students who will compete in the 5km and elite athletes who will face off in the main prize in the 10km. through this initiative, we have managed to reclaim parts of the school terrain that were prone to landslides,” she said.
The program will start on Friday morning with a tree planting session before the race on the following day