St. Francis Kimuron High School trio of Fanuel Koech, Benson Kirongos and Cleophas Koromon have been tipped to dominate to win the International Schools Sports Federation (ISF) World Cross Country for Schools Championships scheduled for this weekend at the Ngong Racecourse, Nairobi.
Their school’s games teacher, Boniface Limo, said the trio will no doubt win medals to maintain the school’s culture of dominating sports, especially athletics.
“I expect the three athletes to win gold in their respective categories when the championships start on Saturday. We have been in constant touch with the students and their coaches at their current training base in Ngong,” said Limo.
Koech, who won the national trials last month at the Nakuru High School, will be competing in the U-18 category, the highest-ranked age cadre at the championships that will also feature the U-15 and U-12.
“Koech has been very consistent both in school and other championships. He won the 800m at the Rift Valley Secondary Schools Sports Association in Kapsabet as well as placing fourth at the Africa U-20 Championships in Ndola, Zambia,” explained Limo.
Kirongos, a Form Two student at the school, won the U-15 title at the trials to earn a slot into Team Kenya after winning the Rift Valley show.
“He is still a young boy and he is bound to go places. At his age, competing in the U-15 will keep him fit for long,” said Limo.
Also competing in the category is Koromon, who finished seventh at the trials and 10th at the Rift Valley Championships.
“I have seen their training sessions and they are doing well. We want to maintain running culture in the school after producing some of the top names including the world 800m record holder, David Rudisha among others,” said Limo.
Elsewhere, the Uasin Gishu County Primary Schools Sports Association chairman Paul Tororei has exuded confidence that pupils from his county will shine at the championships. He said the pupils would still make an impact in the event despite the lack of exposure.
“All of these athletes came from the Athletics Kenya Junior camps and we expect them to shine because they get good training both at the camps and now in the Kenya team,” said Tororei.
