Andrew Lorot, Eva Cherono claim School Games X-Country titles
Andrew Lorot (0061) and his brother Nicholas Kiplagat (right) lead other athletes during the 8km junior men's Cross Country race at the Brookside National Secondary Schools Term One Games, held at Moi Girls High School Kamusinga in Bungoma County on April 15, 2016. Lorot won the race in 25:22:2. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |
What you need to know:
- Lorot, who also clinched the title in 2014, won the boys’ 8km race in a 25:22.2 while Cherono won the girls’ race after clocking 21:15.5 at the Moi Girls Kamusinga on Friday.
- Last year’s boys’ race was won by Alfred Barkach from Mau Region while Valentine Mateiko from Nzoia Region won the girls’ race.
Andrew Lorot of Metropolitan Region and Eva Cherono from Mau Region are the 2016 national secondary schools’ boys’ and girls’ cross country champions.
Lorot, who also clinched the title in 2014, won the boys’ 8km race in a 25:22.2 while Cherono won the girls’ race after clocking 21:15.5 at the Moi Girls Kamusinga on Friday.
Lorot’s brother Nicholas Kiplagat, also from Metropolitan Region, won silver after finishing in a time of 25:24.5 as Robert Mevei finished third in 25:27.9.
The girls’ race was a Mau affair as the region also claimed the second and third positions with Mary Nyamai (21:48.4) and Betty Chepkemoi (21.57.2) respectively.
Lorot, the 2014 Africa Junior Cross Country silver medallist, started at the back with his brother leading from the front but slowly made his way to the leading pack. He broke off from the pack alongside his brother at the 5km mark with Mevei struggling to catch up. The Form four student at Riruta Central High School finished a clear 200 metres ahead of Kiplagat to claim yet another title.
“It was a good race, I started a bit slow but I grew in strength as the race continued. I thank my brother for helping me during the race. We ran a tactical race and I’m glad we got the top two places,” Lorot told Saturday Nation Sport on Friday.
WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Lorot, who won silver in last year’s 5,000m and 10,000m race at last year’s East African School Games in Rwanda, has his eyes trained on the World Junior Championship.
“I got a lot of experience at the African Cross Country Championship in Cameroon last month and I want to have a good year,” he added. The girls’ race was dominated by Mau with six runners from the region finishing in the top ten positions.
Cherono and Nyamai broke clear from the rest of the pack after only 2km and exchanged leads before the former finally opened up distance between herself and Nyamai to clinch the title.
“Last year, I finished fourth in this competition and I’m glad I have improved my positon this year. My dream is to represent my country at international competitions and win awards,” she said.
Last year’s boys’ race was won by Alfred Barkach from Mau Region while Valentine Mateiko from Nzoia Region won the girls’ race.
