Catherine Reline will be the star attraction at tomorrow’s Athletics Kenya at the Nyayo national stadium in Nairobi where top athletes will be chasing various titles in various disciplines.
Coming from North Rift Reline will be competing in the 10,000m women category in the three-day event that kicks off on Thursday to Saturday.
After pacing the London Marathon in April and finishing second at the Iten 15km road race Reline went ahead to finish second at the North Rift championships two weeks ago to qualify for nationals.
“I have competed in a few races including pacing in the London Marathon and my target is to run in the track and I will be so glad to book a slot in team Kenya. For now, I’m just doing some builds which include speed sessions and long runs,” said Reline who trains at the Kapsait Athletics Training Camp in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
In other events, the women’s 5000m semifinal will start the championships with two heats where the world 10,000m bronze medallist Margaret Chelimo tests herself ahead of next month’s national trials to the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August.
She takes on former world youth 3000m champion Lilian Kasait in the 12-and-a-half-lap race.
Cynthia Chepngeno and Dorcas Kimeli of Kenya Defence Forces alongside Mercy Chepkemoi and Janet Chepngetich of South Rift as well as Damaris Kiptoo of Nairobi.
The women’s 3000m steeplechase takes center stage with former Commonwealth Games champion Purity Cherotich keen to make an impression in the water and barriers event ahead of the trials in a fortnight.
Cherotich will be up against Leah Kibet and Mercy Wanjiru of KDF in the second heat as Diana Chepkemoi of South Rift and Fancy Cherono of Prisons aim to make it to the final too.
Virginia Nyambura of Kenya Police and Caren Chebet of Prisons highlight the second semifinal and will take on Joyline Chepngeno of South Rift and Jackline Jepkoech of Central Rift.
Commonwealth Games 4x400m relay bronze medalist Wiseman Were will be the man to beat in the 400m hurdles heats. Were will be up against Newton Kipngetich of Police and Laban Kipchirchir of Central Rift in the first semifinal.
William Mbevi runs in the second heat alongside William Nyakaga of Prisons, Evans Nyagaka and Evans Kiprono of Central Rift, and Geoffrey Rono of South Rift.
Athletes from six countries are set to grace the championship including South Africa, Eswatini, Seychelles, Uganda, South Sudan and Tanzania.