Kenyan trio to face off with Norwegian counterparts in virtual race

World 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot will lead Kenya’s team in a virtual race face off with  their Norwegian counterparts on June 11.

The unique race will be held at the Nyayo National Stadium with the corresponding race in Norway being held at the Bislett Stadium.

Cheruiyot will team up with Commonwealth Games 1,500m champion Elijah Manangoi and Edwin Meli as they face off with Norwegian brothers – Jakob, Filip and Henrik Ingebrigsten over a 2,000m race.

According to Manangoi who is fit again after shaking off a knee injury, they will treat the event as any other competitive race.

Manangoi could not hide his joy after returning to training after a quiet spell necessitated by the dynamics brought about by the coronavirus in the country.

“It is really nice to be back on track again and we will give it our all in the race, as in any other competition. I know it will be challenging since we might not compete under the same conditions but we are going for nothing else because we are always the best,” bragged Manangoi.

The trio who trains at the Rongai Athletics Club under the tutelage of tactician Bernard Ouma will be joined by Vincent Keter (1,500m) and Timothy Sein (800m) – also part of the team as pacemakers.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed lauded the event as a big boost for Kenya’s sporting image.

“It is a great honour for our country to host another championship. Although it will be a virtual race for everybody else, for them it will be real event since they will be competing at Nyayo Stadium. It is an effort towards the struggle against the challenge we are facing now on the pandemic. They will be making sure that people don’t forget the wonders of athletics,” she said.