NAIROBI, Kenya, January 26 – After finishing second at the Kenya Police Cross-Country, Mathew Kisorio has set his sights on winning the national title that will see him earn a ticket to the World Cross championships to be held for Guiyang, China in March.
Kisorio who competed his fourth local meet since returning from a two-year doping ban will be aiming to win the world cross for the first time after finishing fourth at the 2011 event held in Punta Umbria, Spain.
The former African junior 5,000m and 10,000m champion will however have to battle it out with top athletes including Geoffrey Komworor, a former junior world cross champion who beat him at Saturday’s Police championships, when the national trials will be conducted February 14 at Nairobi’s Uhuru Garden.
“It was a good race but I did not want to push myself very hard. My biggest target was to get into the top six and earn a qualification for the national trials. I want to tell Geoffrey and other competitors to prepare for a tough battle.
“The national title has eluded me in the past four events but I want to go down and wrestle it. If I qualify for the World Cross, I will do my best to bring a medal home,” the 26-year-old declared after clocking 37:38.33 at the annual event held at Nairobi’s Ngong’ Racecourse.
Other athletes who will represent Police at the national trials include new recruit Moses Mukono who finished third in 37:39:4, Augustine Choge (37:51:00), Joseph Kiptum (37:51:05) and David Kigei (38:05:7).
Kamworor, the reigning world-half marathon champion who won his third consecutive Police title said he will be no pushover, “I expect stiff competition from my police team mates in the nationals but I want to win the national crown as well. It will be tough but I want to prepare well for them.”
