NAIROBI, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- World 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya will not compete at the Africa Cross Country Championships, but will still feature in Kenyan national championships on Saturday.
Obiri, who is keen to recapture her 3,000m gold medal at the World Indoor Championships, is among the elite runners who have opted to embrace and honor the race in Nairobi, which is part of the IAAF Cross Country permit meeting.
"It is down to my preparations for World Indoor Championships. I want to represent my unit, Kenya Defense Force, but also use it as part of my endurance training. I will not be going to Algeria for the Africa Cross Country Championships, even if I finish top here," Obiri said on Tuesday in Nairobi.
The Olympic 5,000m silver medalist will have her work cut out as she has to do battle against Africa Cross Country champion Alice Aprot in women's 10km.
"Preparations are complete. We expect teams in Nairobi on Thursday. Top names are competing," said Evans Bosire Kenya's athletics' body communication officer.
Prior to the race, Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) will host an anti-doping seminar for the athletes in Nairobi.
The seminar is meant to build on the work of sensitizing athletes against doping and educating them on a number of banned substances to avoid using.
World Cross Country champion Geoffrey Kamworor, will line up for the race, despite him being named in the Kenya team to the World Half Marathon in Valencia, Spain on March 24.
He will face reigning Africa Cross Country champion James Rungaru, former World Cross Country champion Japheth Korir and Richard Kimunyan.
However, his teammates to Valencia Bedan Karoki and Leonard Barsoton will give the event a bye.
Kenya is using the championships to select a team for the Africa Cross Country Championships planned for March 17 in Chlef, Algeria.
