NAIROBI, Kenya, January 14, 2026 – Newly crowned World Cross Country bronze medallist Daniel Simiu remains undecided on whether he will return to the track and field after a considerable period of absence.
The 30-year-old says he will consult with his coach on the way forward.
“I don’t know…I haven’t planned yet. I will go and sit down with my management and see which is which and then come up with a plan. Then we will see how it works out,” the Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medallist said.
Simiu’s last track and field competition was at last year’s national championships at the Ulinzi Sports Complex where he finished fourth in the men’s 10,000m after clocking 28:30.89.
Prior to that, Simiu had competed at the 2024 Prefontaine Classic in Oregon where he was bidding for selection into the Kenyan team for the Paris Olympics.
However, an eighth-place finish put paid to his Olympic dream, forcing Simiu into a controversial sabbatical away from the track and field.
During that period, the World Half Marathon silver medallist has hit a purple patch in road races as well as cross country.
Highlights include victory in the senior men’s race at the National Cross Country Championships and the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Tour – both held in Eldoret in February last year.
He also finished second at the Boulder 10km road race in the United States in May.
For all his successes, Simiu is clear that his track and field chapter is not over – just yet.
“I don’t feel lonely because when it is your time to leave, you can leave. But when it’s not your time, you can remain and do what’s best for you,” he said.
One competition for which Simiu has earmarked in 2026 is the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The 2023 World 10,000m silver medallist has fixed his gaze on winning the world half marathon title at the competition.
“I don’t know about the Ultimate World Challenge but my focus now shifts to the World Road Running in Copenhagen. I’ll prepare myself well and see if I can be selected to represent the country at the competition. I won silver at the last edition in Latvia and if I can, this time round I will go for gold,” he said.
Simiu clocked 28:45 to win bronze at the past weekend’s World Cross Country Championships in Florida.
It was the first representing Kenya at an international competition since the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
