Kiprop, Ng'etich put their Sirikwa Classic titles on the line
- Created by Jeff Olubuyi
- Athletics
Kevin Kiprop edged Frankline Kibet in the 2025 Sirikwa showdown, winning in 24:24 minutes to Kibet’s 24:27, with Festus Kimotwo third in the same time as Kibet.
Defending champion Kevin Kiprop will renew his rivalry with newly crowned World Under-20 cross country champion Frankline Kibet at Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Gold Tour in Eldoret, headlining a stacked fifth edition at Lobo Village, Uasin Gishu County on February 14, 2026.
Kiprop edged Kibet in last year’s Sirikwa showdown, winning in 24:24 minutes to Kibet’s 24:27, with Festus Kimotwo third in the same time as Kibet.
The rematch comes weeks after Kibet claimed global gold at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, USA, timing his kick to win the U-20 title in 23:18 and lead a Kenyan top-four sweep. Emmanuel Kiprono took silver in 23:20, Andrew Alamisi was third in 23:28 and Andrew Kiptoo finished fourth in 23:42. Kibet was also second at the National Cross Country Championships in Eldoret last year in 24:25 behind Kiprono (24:22), while Kiprop placed fifth in 24:36.
Kiprop, however, underlined his pedigree by winning the 2024 Great Chepsaita Cross Country U-20 title in 24:37 ahead of Alamisi (24:54) and Edwin Sanutia (25:26). Kimorwo and world silver medallist Kiprono add further depth to the Sirikwa field.
In the senior women’s race, reigning world champion Agnes Ng’etich faces rising star Maurine Chebor. Ng’etich opened her 2026 season with victory in Tallahassee, clocking 31:28 to beat Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek (32:10) and Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew (32:13). Chebor finished eighth there in 33:06.
Ng’etich won last year’s Sirikwa Classic in 32:42 ahead of Janeth Chepng’etich (33:52) and Miriam Kibet (34:09). Her 2025 campaign included a women-only 10km world record of 29:27 at the Adidas Adizero Road to Records in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
Chebor was second at the National Cross Country Championships in 34:33, won the Nijmegen 5km in 15:01 and was third in Tokyo in 14:40. On the track, she ran 15:14.57 for second over 5,000m at the Kip Keino Classic and 15:00.09 for third at the FAST5000 in Laffitte, France, before winning the national cross country title in Eldoret in 34:17 on October 25.
Also entered are 2019 African 5,000m bronze medallist Lilian Kasait, fresh from half marathon wins in Prague (1:05:27) and New Delhi (1:07:20), and national 5,000m champion Rebecca Mwangi, who was 16th at the World Championships in 33:55.
Meet director Barnaba Korir said the Continental Gold Tour event continues to grow as a platform for emerging talent, while technical head Ibrahim Hussein confirmed final course preparations are nearly complete.
