Two-time world cross winner Geoffrey Kamworor fought hard to book a ticket to Bathurst, Australia where he will represent Kenya at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in February 2023.

In an event hosted at Kenya Prisons Training College in Ruiru over the weekend, the 30-year-old clocked 28:34.6 to finish in sixth place. He made it into the team as that was the cut point for an automatic slot.

The race was won by Sebastian Kimaru in 28:22.5 beating favourites Daniel Simiu and former World half marathon record holder Kibiwott Kandie who came in second and third place respectively.

Kamworor missed both World Championships as well 2019 and 2022 Olympic games after pulling an injury just days to the Tokyo event.

“I had not trained well for the trials. I was just out to test my body and it was really a tough race for me. I am, however, elated to have made the team, coming off an injury that kept me out for two months.

“I will have enough time to prepare for the championship before February so the battle for my third title begins now,” said Kamworor who will be on the world stage for a fifth time for the cross country championship.

Senior title

In 2011, Kamworor won the junior world cross title and was in the Kenyan junior team that won gold in the team event.

He won his first senior title in the event in 2015 when the competition was hosted in Guiyang, China.

He returned to the stage in 2017 when the championship was hosted in Kampala, Uganda to win his second title. In 2019 in Denmark, Kamworor was third in the individual race and helped Kenya win silver in the team event.

Meanwhile, double Olympics marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge will make his Boston Marathon debut next year on April 17, his handlers as well as the organizers of the marathon have confirmed.