Tirop-inspired Chelimo pledges 10,000m success in honor of slain Olympian

World 5,000m silver medalist Margaret Chelimo has vowed to hunt for success in the 10,000m race as a tribute to her late friend and running mate Agnes Tirop. Chelimo said Tirop's focus was to excel in the twenty-five lap event and her untimely demise has left a huge gap that needs filling. .

Speaking during the Memorial Agnes Tirop World Cross Country Tour in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, Chelimo acknowledged the big void left in Kenya’s 10,000m women cast following Tirop’s gruesome murder.

"My heart pains every time I remember Agnes Tirop. We used to race a lot of races especially the cross country. I hope tomorrow to win the race in her honor. During the World Championships I will be going for the 10, 000m as I think about the Commonwealth Games, " said Chelimo as she prepares for Saturday's tour.

Commonwealth Games 5,000m bronze medalist Edward Zakayo who finished fifth during the National Cross Country championships held January 22nd January 2022 hopes to be among the podium finishers in the start studded field.

"The last cross country was my first this season. My biggest challenge was the mud pit there was the hard part soft and semi hard part. I even lost my spike in the pit and saw it posted in one of the social media apps.

This time round I have to be smart about the race. How you navigate is very important because I want to test my endurance as I prepare for the World Championships and Commonwealth Games," said Zakayo the World Under 18, 3000m silver medalist.

Athletics Kenya president Lieutenant General (RTD) Jackson Tuwei says the event is meant to give athletes a chance to compete in each continent.

"This is the only one in Africa. It’s the last one in the series of Gold Label cross country races. Others on bronze level will continue taking place. We didn't have the World and Africa Cross county due to Covid-19. In this event we have 36 international athletes and a huge number from the national level," said Tuwei as he unveiled the competition medals.

The event is meant to honor athletes who lost their lives due to gender based violence last year. It will honor Olympian and two-time World Cross Country champion Agnes Tirop, Hosea Macharinyang (X-Country and marathon) and Faith Wamboi all who lost the lives to GVB in a span of about a week.