S. GitahiSirikwa Classic in World Cross Country Tour Gold calendar for 2023-24 season
.jpg)
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 19.10.23. | 11:21
The races will form a key part in the preparation of many athletes who will be targeting the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade on 30 March
The Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Tour will return to the World Cross Country Tour Gold calendar for the 2023-24 season that was released by the sports governing body on Wednesday 18 October.
Initially dubbed as the Agnes Tirop Memorial World Cross Country Tour for the 2021-22 season, the Sirikwa Classic will make its third appearance on the global gold circuit, which will feature 15 fixtures from 22 October to 25 February 2024.
The cross-country season is in full swing and after the #WorldCrossCountryTour kicked off with Silver and Bronze level meetings in Lidingö and Dublin, attention now turns to the first Gold event of the series.
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) October 18, 2023
News ⬇️
The entire calendar, which has an additional eight silver and two bronze tours, kicked off with Silver and Bronze level meetings in Lidingö and Dublin, with the TCS Lidingöloppet in Sweden silver meeting launching the season on 23 September.
The Autumn Open International in Ireland (Bronze) on 15 October was the second event, and will be followed up by the NI & Ulster and Bobby Rea International Cross Country in Belfast, which will welcome athletes for the second Silver meeting of the series on 21 October, a day before the first Gold level competition at the Cross Internacional Zornotza in Amorebieta-Etxano, Spain.
The Sirikwa Classic will be the penultimate event on the Gold Tour, taking place on 3 February 2024 in Eldoret, and second to take place in African soil after the Botswana International Cross Country in Gaborone, appearing for its first time in the calendar.
.jpg)
Last year’s event - one that changed its name to Sirikwa - was staged in Lobo Village in Uasin Gishu County, where there were senior 10km, U20, U18 and mixed-relay events.
Reigning 1500m World Champion Faith Kipyegon kickstarted her impressive season there, winning the 10km race in a time of 33:55 ahead of Jackline Chepkoech and Zena Jemutai Yego who came in second and third respectively clocking 34:57 and 35:04.
In the men’s senior race, 23 year old Charles Lokir clinched the men’s title clocking 30:20 ahead of Kenya’s Josphat Kiprotich and Dennis Kingetich.
The gold tour will culminate on 25 February with the Cross Internacional das Amendoeiras em Flor, in Albufeira, Portugal.
The World Athletics Cross Country Tour and the cross country rankings will form part of the qualification pathway for the 10,000m at global championships.
The top eight men and top eight women in the cross country rankings, who are not already qualified via entry standard or world 10,000m ranking, will be automatically qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris.
.jpg)
