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After winning the Chepsaita Cross Country, ambitious Samuel Chebolei now aims to represent the country in the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

Chebolei, 23, weathered off a tight opposition to emerge the winner during the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold held in Eldoret on December 7, 2024.

While acknowledging that the race was not easy, he revealed how exactly he powered himself to victory.

“I had to fight because there were a lot of good athletes in this race; it was not easy. After the third lap, we still felt energetic, and the three of us decided to drop the rest, and the math worked for us. I am hoping to build up from here and represent Kenya in Tokyo,” Chebolei said as quoted by World Athletics.

Tight battle

The pack reduced to five men after the first lap, with world U20 cross-country bronze medallist Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto, 2019 African Games 5000m champion Robert Kiprop, and Chebolei the main contestants.

Chebolei had not established a notable lead heading into the fourth lap as Kipruto and Kiprop led with the eventual winner not far behind.

Chebolei’s finishing tactics proved decisive as he crossed the line in 30:49 to win by nine seconds, with Kiprop taking second place and Kipruto was third in 31:12.