NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 19 – World 10,000m silver medalist Stanley Waithaka will be hoping to continue his meteoric rise in athletics when he takes to the course tomorrow at the Cross Internacional de Itálica in Seville, Spain.
The men’s 10km race is expected to be a nail-biting contest with World 10,000m bronze medalist Jacob Kiplimo, defending champion Rodrigue Kwizera of Burundi and Kenya’s Levy Kibet also in action.
Waithaka and Kiplimo are familiar with each other, having contested the World 10,000m title in Oregon in July where the former finished second behind another Ugandan, Joshua Cheptegei.
Waithaka’s second place finish was a surprise for many bookmakers who may not have previously tipped the Japan-based athlete to feature on the podium place.
Having shone the limelight on himself, many of the other runners will be wary of Waithaka as the Kenyan seeks to place himself in the prime position of making Team Kenya to next year’s World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia.
Kiplimo, also the 2020 World Half Marathon champion, won this cross country meet in 2019 and will be feeling confident of claiming another title at what should be surely familiar grounds for the Ugandan.
Kenya’s Kibet will also be looking to build on an impressive second-place finish at last weekend’s Atapuerca Cross Country meet, also in Spain.
Also expected to contend for top honours is World Under 20 5000m silver medalist Merhawi Mebrahtu of Eritrea.
In the women’s category, Africa 1500m silver medalist Purity Chepkirui will be keen to continue her stellar form from Atapuerca where she finished second behind fellow countrywoman, Commonwealth Games 5000m champion Beatrice Chebet.
Before that, the 2021 World Under 20 1500m champion had reigned supreme in San Sebastian, timing 29:08 to win the women’s race.
As far podium places are concerned, it has been a plentiful harvest in 2022 for the 19-year-old and another wonderful performance in Seville will go a long way in confirming her status as one of Kenya’s brightest futures in athletics.
Another Kenyan in contention is Nancy Jepleting who will be looking to pick up her second win of the World Cross Country Tour after shining in Zaragoza, Spain, last month.
The cross country race in Seville is part of the World Cross Country Tour one-day meets across the globe, leading up to the World Cross Country Championships.
