Machakos cross country champion Daniel Ebenyo Simiu and reigning world marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich will highlight this Friday’s 56th edition of San Silvestre Vallecana 10km road race to he held in Madrid, Spain on the New Year’s Eve.
The reigning Berlin 10km champion said he will be using the race as part of 2021 world cross country and Olympic Games preparations. With his recent top performance, winning Athletics Kenya cross country opener in Machakos and finishing 4th at the second leg in Nandi.
Enjoying 27:12 as his personal best set during the Corrida Pédestre Internationale de Houilles 10km, the 2019 Family Bank half marathon champion, who missed to represent the country in 5,000m after failing to meet the anti-doping rules, Simiu said his focus will be to improve on his time as he targets to begin the year on high.
“My first target is not to win the race but improve on my time since we are heading into a busy calendar. With good time, I will be able to run many races across the world like Diamond Leagues,” said the 2019 Safaricom Kisii 10km champion.
Back home, his coach Erick Kogo said that Simiu has been doing well recently, his speed and form is perfect for any race.
“After competing in the competitive Athletics Kenya meetings, he is good enough for the challenge. The race is too competitive and I know he will do well,” said Kogo.
Simiu will be up against Olympic 5000m silver medallist Paul Chelimo, Mark Nenow, Burundi’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo.
In women’s race Chepngetich will be battling out with Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw alongside Likina Amebaw, Spaniards Lucía Rodríguez and Irene Sánchez-Escribano.