Newly-crowned champion Patrick Kipng'eno predicts bright future for Mountain running in Kenya

ATHLETICS Newly-crowned champion Patrick Kipng'eno predicts bright future for Mountain running in Kenya

Abigael Wafula 07:00 - 09.06.2023

He led Team Kenya to team gold and he predicted that Kenya will continue to be a rising force in mountain running in the years ahead.

Newly-crowned World Mountain and Trail Running champion Patrick Kipng’eno believes there is a bright future for Mountain Running in the country.

Kipng’eno revealed that he is happy with the progress and he hopes that with time, things will take shape and more Kenyans will make appearances in the event.

He led Team Kenya to team gold and he predicted that Kenya will continue to be a rising force in mountain running in the years ahead. If his performance at the event was anything to go on, then future podiums could well be filled with Kenyans.

“Every year we are getting better. In Thailand we were three Kenyans, now we are coming with seven, and every year we are increasing in number,” he said.

Other Kenyans who went to grace the event include Hillary Kiptum, Josephat Kiprotich, Joyce Njeru, Valentine Ruto, Philaries Kisang, and Philemon Kiriago.

Kipng’eno obliterated a strong field on Wednesday, June 7, to take top honours in the vertical uphill event after clocking 40:18.

Uganda’s Levi Kiprotich finished second in 41:51 ahead of another Kenyan Josphat Kiprotich who sealed the podium in 42:04.

The Nakuru-based athlete expressed gratitude for bagging the title and revealed that the race was not a walk in the park.

“I thank God because I have retained my title. The course was very nice but very difficult. I started going hard at 5km.

I did the course before so when I was running, I was very confident because I knew all of it. I used to train in Austria. I trained very well so I knew I was going to win,” he explained.

Tags: