Former World half marathon record-holder Geoffrey Kamworor dominated the National Police Service Cross Country and bagged his eighth title at Ngong Racecourse over the weekend.

 Kamworor stormed to victory beating a strong field of topathletes, leading in the last two laps ahead of rival Daniel Ebenyo Simiyu.

Simiyu who was seen smiling after losing the race to Kamworor applauded Kamworor while a sharing light moment after the race at the finish line.

Kamworor led the duo of Daniel Simiu and Josephat Kiprotich to the podium places, the two clocking a time of 29:46.9 and 30:43.9 respectively.

“l am happy to have won the race. It was tough but I was well prepared mentally and wanted to win it at all costs to show my worthy competitors that am still at the top level,” he said.

 Kamworor added: “I have started the year very well with no injury, just hard work, running clean and focusing on major athletics events for this year.”

At Langata Barracks two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri clocked 32:58.9 to defend her Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) cross-country championship title in the women’s race.

Record holder

Former half marathon record holder Kibowott Kandie clocked 29:24.5 in the men’s event at the event which was held at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, Lang’ata.

Joyciline Jepkosgei and Esther Borura of Garissa and Mtongwe Bases respectively came home second and third, timing 33:04.8 and 33:07.8 respectively.

The 2020 champion Sheila Chepkurui came home fourth, 22 seconds behind Borura while Cynthia Chepngeno closed the top five eight seconds later.

Kandie finished 21 seconds ahead of Vincent Mutai, with Collins Koros who came home behind Kandie last year settling for the third spot in 29:51.7.

The other races lined up in the competitions include; the National Youth Service (NYS) at  Ngong Racecourse, Universities cross country at Kabarak University and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) at Lobo Village in Eldoret all set for next weekend.

Athletics Kenya said that the team selected from the regional cross country competitions will compete in the national cross country championships trials set for January 21st at Kenya Prisons Training College- Ruiru.

Once Team Kenya to Bathurst for the global competition set for February 18th is in place, athletes will have one more local event to prepare when Kenya hosts its leg of the World Cross Country Tour Gold meeting.

Named Agnes Tirop Memorial in its first edition, the gold tour event has since been renamed Sirikwa Classic and is set for February 4th at Lobo Village in Eldoret.

Meanwhile, Kamworor has advised fellow athletes to practise running cleaning and to avoid the temptation of using banned substances.