Kenya's Chebet continues with win in domestic circuit

Emily Chebet, Kenya's World Cross champion in 2010, continued her splendid form in the domestic circuit when she held off the determined challenge from Boston Marathon runner-up Jemimah Chelagat to clinch her second successive victory in Machakos on Saturday. Chebet was given a stiff battle by the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) runner Chelagat. She did not break away until 70 meters from the tape to seal the win in 25 minutes 01.8 seconds. Chebet scooped the opening Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB)/Athletics Kenya (AK) National Cross Country Series opener a week ago. "My preparations to return to Bydgoszcz next year are well on course and I'm pleased that today I overcame her (Chelagat) since she was so strong," the Poland World Cross winner said. The men's senior long race saw World Junior 10,000m bronze medallist, Geoffrey Korir, stun a strong field with 32:52.7 on the clock in the event that attracted 350 starters across the four races at the Machakos Technical Training Institute grounds. Among the established runners who fell to the late surge for the tape by Korir included the Mwangangi pair of Caleb and John who won the 2010 World Cross junior and this year's Africa Cross gold medals in that order. Korir was sixth at the Kenyan Olympic Trial for 10,000m in Eugene, Oregon. Mark Kiptoo, who captained the Kenyan team for the 2009 World Cross in Amman, Jordan, still showed he had the legs at 36 when he finished fourth in a race where upstart Kenya Wildlife Service athlete, Silas Kimutai also upset the odds when he trailed the winner to finish second in 33:22.3. Moses Mukono and Sheila Chemg'etich who were emphatic in the opening meeting in Nyahururu met their match here when they were supplanted from the top honors by Peter Namuria and World Junior 3,000m titleholder Mercy Chemwogen in the men 8km and women 6km junior races. Overnight rains caused concern at the start but sunny conditions saw the course hold out to stage keenly contested races apart from the opening junior 6km event where Chemwogen simply dropped all challengers in a gun to tape performance. LEADING RESULTS Junior Women 6km 1. Mercy Chebwogen 18 minutes 53.6 seconds 2. Edna Chepkemboi 18:57.0 3. Jackline Chebwogen 19:01.8 4. Eva Cherono 19:06.8 5. Damaris Muthee 19:14.00 6. Sheila Chemg' etich 19:16.00 7. Margaret Murinju 19:37.80 8. Clementine Chelagat 19:38.00 9. Everlyn Chepkoech 19:40.80 10. Mbithe Nzisa 19:44.20 Junior men 8km 1. Peter Namuria 21:51.40 2. Moses Mukono 21:52.40 3. Peter Limo 22:05.10 4. Katui Muia 22:05.60 5. Hillary Langat 22:13.20 6. Ernest Ngeno 22:35.50 7. Dominic Mailu 22:39.60 8. Alex Mutiso 22:42.40 9. Raphael Leina 22:44.20 10. Joshua Maingi 22:45.00 Senior Women 8km 1. Emily Chebet 25:01.8 2. Jemimah Chelagat 25:03.6 3. Joyline Chelagat 25:56.0 4. Nzembi Musyoka 25:07.0 5. Agnes Katunge pri 26:24.4 6. Mumbua Kioko 26:33.7 7. Jane Wanja 26:51.4 8. Perine Nenkampi 27:12.2 9. Tabitha Chelagat 27:26.9 10. Jane Murage 27:28.9 Senior men 12km 1. Geoffrey Kirui 32:52.7 2. Silas Kimutai 33:05.6 3. Caleb Mwangangi 33:22.3 4. Mark Kiptoo 33:28.0 5. John Mwangangi 33:30.8 6. Mike Rotich 33:40.8 7. Daniel Lemashon 33:57.0 8. Nicholas Togom 33:58.6 9. Alex Oloititip 34:02.0 10. Serian Paul 34:03.4