New stars rose to the occasion at the Nyandarua County Cross Country Championship held in Ol Kalou at the weekend, with Simon Mungai along with Faith Ruto delivering stellar performances in the senior 10km races to lead a strong team to the Central Region Championships in Nyeri County.

Mungai, who took the lead within the first kilometre of the race, maintained a relentless pace. By the bell, he had created an unassailable gap, crossing the finish line in 32:55.28. 

He credited his impressive speed to regular training at the Nyahururu high-altitude stadium. 

“Moving my training from Kinamba in Laikipia to Nyahururu has allowed me to concentrate better on my training,” he said. 

The championship, held at the Ol Kalou Arboretum, took place under scorching heat. 

In the senior women’s 10km race, Ruto surged ahead in the final kilometre of the five-lap race to claim victory in 39:46.02.

Her strong finish relegated Florence Watetu to second place with a time of 39:53.07.

Domtila Cheruto finished third in 40:09.43. 

Gladys Wairimu, Lucy Wanjiru and Maureen Wanjiku finished fourth, fifth, and sixth, clocking 41:22.13, 41:33.9, and 42:28.38, respectively, to secure their spots on the county team.