Kenya’s cross-country team has set eyes on the overall title during next weekend’s 44th edition of the World Athletics Cross Country Championships at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, Australia.

A total of 28 athletes led by former World Half Marathon record holder Kibiwot Kandie who is the team captain, jetted out of the country for Sydney, Australia early Monday.

With at least 24 hours of travel, the home boys and girls are scheduled to have a hotel rest in Qatar on Monday afternoon before catching a connecting, 8 pm flight to Australia, where they are expected to land late today.

Athletics Kenya top officials are expected to travel today evening to Australia after a meeting with the Athletics Integrity Unit delegation in Nairobi.

The team has been in camp since 11th January this year at the Kigari Teachers Training College in Embu and head coach Julius Kirwa is full of optimism that his charges will make amends for their 2019 show in Denmark and bring home the overall team title from Bathurst.

“The training has been superb and everyone is in good shape ahead of the championships. We are ready to represent our country and to bring home the glory to the over 50 million people.

Tough hills

“This time we have done everything possible in training, we are cognizant of the course in Bathurst and we prepared for it.

“In 2019 in Denmark, we were surprised to get obstacles like tough hills that we had not studied well but this time we were a notch higher.

“it has been my duty to bring these athletes together, it is no longer about individuals. We have done grouping so that they can get podium finishes to enable us to get the team title”, coach Kirwa told People Daily Sport.

In the previous World Athletics Cross Country Championships held in Aarhus, Denmark, Kenya surrendered the team title to Ethiopia who managed to scoop 11 medals to top the World.

Kenya only managed eight medals: two gold medals from Hellen Obiri who won the senior women’s race and Beatrice Chebet in 6km junior women’s category.

Former World Half Marathon record holder Geoffrey Kamworor failed to defend his title, dethroned by troublesome Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei. Jacob Kiplimo bagged silver while Kamworor settled for bronze.

Kericho County has produced three athletes who are part of the ravelling team.

They include 2022 3000m Steeplechase Under-20 world champion Faith Cherotich, Joyline Chepkemoi and Diana Chepkemoi

“I am ready for the event .I am in good shape. So I am confident of winning the race,” says Cherotich who is also a Form Four student at Kalyet Secondary School.