Kenya, Ethiopia early arrivals in Edinburgh

Bitter rivals Kenya and Ethiopia were among the early arrivals in Edinburgh Thursday, setting the stage for what should be yet another bruising battle between the world’s best distance running nations.

Kenyan officials were happy with the reception and the weather conditions in the Scottish city ahead of Sunday’s 36th World Cross Country Championships.

“The weather is fantastic, slightly cold, and similar to the conditions in Embu where the team trained,” coach Julius Kirwa said. The Kenyan team arrived at 11.30 am, local time, and went for a jog at 3.30 pm to shake off the jet-lag.

The squad has been housed at the Pollock Hall of Residency on the Edinburgh University campus. After going through the accreditation formalities, the Kenyan squad’s physician Peter Nduhiu reported no injuries with the squad upbeat.

Athletics Kenya secretary David Okeyo, who is due to depart today, said: “This event will serve as a gauge to Kenya’s dominance in long distance races a year after we trounced our opponents at home in Mombasa.”

Scotland boasts a strong tradition in cross country running since the first recorded organised club cross country run was staged in Milngavie, Glasgow, in 1885 followed in 1886 by the first National Championships at Lanark Race Course. In 1889, the National Championships were staged for the first time at what was to become the spiritual home of cross country running, Hamilton Park Race course, the venue of this year’s event.

A total of 70 member federations of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) have made final entries to compete at this weekend’s event which will be marking its 36th edition.

The world’s best distance runners will assemble in Holyrood Park, in the Scottish capital on Sunday afternoon to do battle in four races – senior men and women, and junior men and women – part of the course for which tackles the steep incline and decent of Haggis Knowe.