Cross Country Medals Will Put Gloss On Action-packed Weekend

This Easter weekend is the true definition of 'spoilt for choice' as far as the local sports calendar is concerned.

Understandably, the WRC Safari Rally will dominate the headlines as the best in global motorsports battle the challenging Naivasha terrain to make the podium in the first place.

Over at the coast, the second edition of the National Beach Games will be happening at the Buntwani Water Park in Kilifi County, where 12 sporting disciplines will be on show.

As if to muddy the waters further (no pun intended), our athletes will be in action on Saturday at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, where they will be defending the team title they won last year in Bathurst, Australia.

To curtain raise this global competition and whet the appetite of athletics enthusiasts the national trials for the upcoming World Schools Cross Country Championships were held at Nakuru High School last week.

Looking at the talent on show at the trials was enough to understand why Kenya is the cradle of cross country.

Competition was stiff in all the categories as the young ones battled to make the final team to represent the country at this years edition, set for Ngong Racecourse on May 13.

The World Schools Cross Country Championships which is being held on African soil for the first time will spark a generational shift in Kenyan athletics as it will inspire many young people to pick up the sport.

Some participants will be awakened to their athletics talent, which they had not discovered. Back to the World Cross Country Championships; having seen the level of competition at the Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour and the national championships, it is safe to bet that Kenya will defend their team title.

Since last year, we have seen exciting talents emerge in cross country, including Emmaculate Anyango, Sabastian Sawe and Diana Chepkemoi.

Add experienced heads like Beatrice Chebet, Agnes Ng'etich and Margaret Chelimo to the mix, and what you have is a team of medal prospects. It is one more reason why you should be glued to your TV on Saturday morning to cheer on our athletes as they fly the national flag high in Eastern Europe.

A medal harvest in Serbia will be the perfect Easter gift for us as a country and will only add to the excitement of the Safari Rally weekend.