Bett, Jeruto to light up Narok AK meet

World Under-20 3000m steeplechase silver medalist Leonard Kipkemoi Bett and World Under-18 800m silver medalist Lydia Jeruto are among a host of athletes set grace the third and the final leg of Athletics Kenya (AK) Track and Field championships to be held in Narok Stadium tomorrow and Saturday.

Bett will once again compete in 1500m race in the build up to the sixth IAAF Diamond League meet set for Rabat, Morocco on June 16.

“I have chosen to compete in 1500 just like I did in Mumias because it actually helps me work on my speedwork,” Bett told Citizen Digital.

The Bomet-based athlete, who finished fourth in this year’s World Cross Country championship junior category, opened this season’s Diamond League with a third-place finish clocking a new Personal Best of 8:08.61 in Doha on May 3.

Bett, 18, further revealed that he may have to skip the All Africa Games in preference for the Worlds in order to strike a balance between his Diamond League engagements and international duties.

“For now, my target is the World Championships given that I also have Diamond League races coming up. However, we are going to see if they will push the trials further then I may consider the continental championships as well because it is important in my career,” said the soft-spoken Bett.

A high turnout of athletes was witnessed in the second series held a fortnight ago in Mumias, Kakamega County and the same is expected to continue with the trials for the All Africa Games looming large.

“We are expecting many athletes even eclipsing the numbers witnessed in both Nyeri and Mumias meets and we are also calling out on the residents of Narok to come out in numbers to support the champions,” said AK South Rift chairman John Wachira.

On her part, Jeruto is set to compete in both 800m and 5000m with his Torongo Athletics Club coach Barnabas Kitilit, who is also the chairman of AK Baringo County, revealing that a host of his athletes will be competing in Narok including Gilbert Kimunyan.

“I will be coming with my best athletes who have the capacity to qualify for the national trials. Jeruto will compete in both 800m and 5000m while Kimunyan will also be competing in 10000m. Justus Soget will however miss out since he is having a race in France this weekend,” said Kitilit.

The Narok competition will thereafter usher in trials for the All Africa Games to be held on June 20-22 at the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC), Kasarani.

The first meet was held in Nyeri’s Ruringu Stadium on May 3-4 before Mumias Sports Complex played host to the second series on May 24-25.

 

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Leonard Kipkemoi Bett World Championships Lydia Jeruto Narok AK meet

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