Brilliant Jepkorir, Ebenyo crowned 2025 National Cross Country champions

Former Boston Half Marathon champion Brillian Jepkorir made a resounding return from maternity leave to emerge victorious in the 2025 National Cross Country Championships staged at the Eldoret Sports Club on Saturday.

Jepkorir, representing Kenya Prisons, stunned bigwigs as she produced brilliant performance in the senior women’s 10km afternoon race which was run under hot weather conditions.

The half marathon specialist, who had finished fourth at the Al Sharqiyah International 21km in December, took the senior women’s honours in a spectacular finish.

The reigning Wurzburger Residentzlauf 10km champion Maurine Jepkoech came in second while Commonwealth 10,000m silver medallist Stacy Ndiwa settled for the third position.

“I have come from maternity leave and I’m happy to be back. The race was part of my preparations for a half marathon, which will be confirmed by my management,” Jepkorir said after victory.

She delivered her win in a time of 34:29.1, while Jepkoech (North Rift) and Ndiwa (National Police Service) stopped the timer in 32:32.7 and 34:54.

In the women’s stellar field was former London Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei who finished fourth after running the last two laps without one shoe in the 10km distance.

World 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Simiu Ebenyo continued his Cross Country dominance.

The 2025 National Police Service Cross Country champion made his move in the fourth lap, leading a pack of eight men, and established the lead all the way to glory.

Ebenyo, who was hoping to represent Kenya in 10,000m at the 2024 Olympic Games, looked back at the last corner and headed straight to the finish line for the senior men’s National Cross Country title.

He said he gauged his endurance ahead of the 2025 Seoul Marathon next month.

The World Road Running Half Marathon silver medallist timed 30:48.0 ahead of Nickson Kogei (30:52.6) of Kenya Wildlife Service and Central region’s Simon Mungai (30:55.7) who took the second and third places respectively.

“I came to this race to test my speed. The pace was not easy; it was a tough battle and I'm happy that I won the race,” Ebenyo said after winning.

Ebenyo maintained that he had officially quit track racing to set sights on road running.

Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi and former World Under-20 1500m champion Purity Chepkirui savoured victories in their respective categories in the 2km loop.

Kevin Kiprop from Central Rift overcame strong opposition from a contingent assembled by AK North Rift region to win the men’s 8km Under-20 race in 24:57.4.

A blistering sprint on the final stretch enabled Kiprop to edge out Frankline Chebet and Emmanuel Someki who finished second and third in 24:59.3 and 25:00.0 respectively in the close contest.

The women’s 6km Under-20 women turned out to be a thriller, with Lornah Cherono (21:11.7) taking the title ahead of and Joyline Chepkemoi (21:15.6) and Cynthia Chepkurui (21:21.1) who came in second and third respectively.

The top three junior women changed leads from the gun before Cherono, who trains at Tegla Loroupe camp in Siyoi, West Pokot (North Rift) powered past her counterparts.

“I was second at Discovery Cross Country held in Eldoret recently (January 26) and I'm thankful that I have emerged top in the national event,” Cherono .

Chepkemoi was representing the Central Rift while Chepkurui carried Nairobi region’s podium hopes.

Saturday’s event was the culmination of the AK Cross Country series which saw at least 500 athletes drawn from various regions and affiliates converge in Eldoret for the national title.

The Sirikwa World Cross Country Tour scheduled for February 23 will mark the end of the Cross Country season and usher in the track season and preparations for the 2025 Tokyo World Championships in September.

Athletics legends among them former 3,000m steeplechase record holder Moses Kiptanui and 1988 Olympic 5,000m champion John Ngugi as well as National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) president Paul Tergat followed the event live at the Eldoret Sports Club.

Kenyan big shots including three-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon and javelin star Julius Yego watched the hot contests on the sidelines.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya said the competition at the event was the latest indicator of Kenyan talents’ desire to continue the country’s dominance in global athletics.

Mvurya said the government will continue supporting federations in its bid to raise the country’s profile.

“The competition showed that Kenya continues to be a powerhouse in athletics. The government is determined to provide a conducive environment for sports to thrive,” the CS said