Faith Kipyegon and Agnes Ng’etich are among the top-level athletes who will feature at the Sirikwa Classic set for Saturday, February 20, 2025.

Sirikwa Classic, a World Athletics Cross Country Tour, will give Kipyegon, the four-time world champion, a chance to win the title she took home in 2023.

“I’m currently in my build-up, training towards the outdoor season ahead. Cross country is where athletics started for me as a young girl, and it’s always motivating to run on home ground,” Kipyegon said, as quoted by World Athletics.

In the 10km senior women’s race, they will face Ng’etich, who was a distant 17th during the inaugural edition of the Sirikwa Classic, then known as the Agnes Tirop Cross Country Classic.

“I am excited to open my season at the Sirikwa Cross Country. This is the first step in a big year ahead, and I am ready to test my form and give my best on home soil,” Ng’etich, who finished fourth at the World Cross Country Championships in 2024, said.

Loice Chekwemoi from Uganda is set to give the Kenyan unit a competition in Eldoret. The teenager is the African 3000m steeplechase champion and winner of the Great Chepsaita Cross Country. 

Hellen Ekalale, winner of the 10K Valencia Ibercaja by Kiprun, All-African Games 10,000m champion Janeth Chepngetich, national cross-country champion Brillian Jepkorir Kipkoech, African cross-country champion Cintia Chepng’eno, and world half marathon bronze medallist Catherine Amanang’ole will also race.

Men’s contest

Meanwhile, World U20 cross country bronze medallist Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto is among the men who will compete in the senior race. He is second on the World Cross Country Tour standings with 3680 points, 40 points behind tour leader Rodrigue Kwizera of Burundi, who has 3720 points. The 19-year-old bagged Cinque Mulini and Festival du Cross Country victories and secured third place at the Great Chepsaita Cross Country.

Jacob Krop, the 2022 world 5000m silver medallist, 2022 world 10,000m silver medallist Stanley Waithaka Mburu; Chepsaita Cross Country and 2022 Sirikwa Classic winner Samwel Chebolei Masai; Kibiwott Kandie; Weldon Lang’at; steeplechaser Leonard Bett; and Gideon Kipkertich Rono are the other contestants.