Chris Musumba
9 March 2011
Nairobi — After conquering the continent in Cape Town, South Africa, Kenya’s triumphant cross country team touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on Wednesday to a welcome replete with ululations and pageantry.
The stage was set, the red carpet rolled out and a carnival mood rent the air as friends, family and colleagues lined up to receive the kings and queens of the inaugural Africa Cross Country Championship.
At that moment the team members must have temporarily forgotten their recent terrible experience – when they were stranded in a foreign country after missing their flight out of Cape Town – as they hummed in unison savouring the dream.
Never before has a team dominated an event like the cross country team to South Africa did: they won all the top four places in the competition.
Administration Police and Kenya Prisons, who had runners in the team, used the stage to hijack the celebrations.
At times it was like watching two military bands marching towards each other, all blaring brass and crashing cymbals.
Henry Chirchir was carried shoulder-high by his AP colleagues, John Mwangangi was the pride of the prison warders and Mercy Cherono quenched her thirst with a sip of the traditional sour milk, mursik.
“This is good. It makes me forget the frustrations of not making the team to World Cross Country Championship in Spain,” said Cherono, the winner of 8km senior women’s race. “I am happy I won gold in South Africa.”
Team captain Mwangangi clinched gold in the 12km senior men’s race.
A job well done
“It was a job well done and now I believe we have proved that it was by bad luck that we missed the team to Spain,” said Mwangangi.
“I however wish those who are going there all the best and hope they, too, can emulate us and bring home more medals.”
Head coach Julius Kirwa was happy that, on his return to national duty after two years out, he was able to sweep the board and bring more glory to the country.
“This team was good and even if the Ethiopians were there we would have dominated it,” he said. “This team can beat anyone even at the global level.
“It shows the work we put in during the training sessions was not for nothing.”
Sports Permanent Secretary James Waweru led a contingent of officials, including the Athletics Kenya top brass, in welcoming the team home.
The team will however have to wait for the government to honour its pledge to reward exemplary performance although bureaucracy has stalled payments since last year when the Commonwealth Games were held in Delhi, India.
Kenya’s medal haul
12km senior men: Gold- John Mwangangi, Silver- Stephen Kiprotich, Bronze- Henry Chirchir;
8km senior women: Gold- Mercy Cherono, Silver- Viola Kibiwott, Bronze- Doris Chengeiywo;
8km junior men: Gold- Japheth Korir, Silver- Patrick Muaka, Bronze- Nicholas Togom;
6km junior women: Gold- Caroline Chepkoech, Silver- Mary Mananu, Bronze- Zipporah Wanjiru
AllAfrica – All the Time
Continued here:
Africa: Conquerors of Africa Cross Country Back Home