Amos Abuga @PeopleSports11
Team Kenya coaches have admitted that they underestimated the toughness of the World Cross-Country Championships course in Aarhus, Denmark, leading to the low return of medals and loss of team title.
As they returned to the country to a low-key reception where no government official was at hand to welcome them yesterday, the team, which won two gold medals, three silver and as many bronze, admit the medal haul could have been more had they sent an advance party to asses the course.
“It is a huge lesson for the country. We were so dependent on the pictorial presentation of the course which was not the real case on the ground,” said team manager Benjamin Njoga after the team touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Letting blames IAAF
He added: “If you look at it from the point of losing the overall title then it might seem harsh but I think the athletes gave a good account of themselves.”
Hellen Obiri, who won one of Kenya’s two gold medals after claiming victory in the senior women’s 10km race, also admitted the country should have performed better had officials done a thorough assessment of the course. “I want to thank the athletes for giving their all because the course was extremely tough,” said Obiri.
“On a personal level, I want to shift attention to defending my world title in Doha, Qatar and also upgrading my silver medal at the 2020 Olympics,” added the 29-year-old.
However, head coach David Letting while admitting the course was brutal, shifted blame to the race organisers.
“It is like IAAF is determined to do away with the cross-country. “ “That is the only picture one can pick from the choice of the course. “
“I have two athletes who picked injuries from the course Emmanuel Korir and Rhonex Kipruto. That is how brutal it was,” said Letting of the course that was hilly at the landmark Moesgaard Museum grounds in Aarhus.
Letting was also at pains to deny claims that the coaching team were tactically outwitted by their Ethiopian and Ugandan rivals. “We prepared well but nobody anticipated a hill of over 500m at the start of the race,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony, who was the only dignitary at hand to receive the team, has committed Sh5 million from his government towards the construction of Lemotit training camp after the good performance of Beatrice Chebet, a daughter of the county, who won gold in the junior women’s 6km race.
