Maryam Njoki Eyes Improved Performance at Sirikwa Classic Cross Country
The East African region will have Tanzanian athletes Valeria Daghau and Monica Zanele competing in the women’s 10km race.
Maryam Lufti Njoki. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Maryam Lufti Njoki will return to Sirikwa Classic Cross Country after winning Discovery Cross Country race 35 two weeks earlier. The race will take place on Saturday February 14 at Lobo Village in Kapseret Uasin Gishu County. Njoki surpassed her Qatar switch by participating in the same course from 2023 to achieve 12th place. She returns after three years because she wants to achieve better performance while preparing for the upcoming track season.
“I last ran on this course back in 2023 when I had little experience compared to now. I want to come and try my best this time and improve my position,” said Njoki. The last time she ran this course was three years ago when she was known as Christine Njoki. After changing her allegiance, she adopted the name Maryam and will be among the foreign athletes contesting for top honours.
Catherine Reline, who changed her citizenship to Turkey and now goes by the name Can, will compete on the familiar course against Kenyan athletes. The pair will compete against World Cross Country champion Agnes Jebet Ng’etich and Uganda’s World Cross Country silver medalist Joy Cheptoyek who already received clearance from World Athletics. The four athletes are favorites to win the Valentine’s Day contest because they performed well in both local and international events.
Cheptoyek will be joined by fellow Ugandans Scovia Chemutai, Martha Chemutai, and Loice Chekwemoi, the 2024 Chepsaita Cross Country champion, among others. The East African region will have Tanzanian athletes Valeria Daghau and Monica Zanele competing in the women’s 10km race.
Germany’s Hendrik Pfeiffer, who participated in the previous year’s event, will return to the course for the current year. He will compete alongside Mykola Nyzhnyk from Ukraine who travels to Kenya despite the war situation in his country and South Africa’s Tshepo Mphulanyane and Uganda’s Leonard Ndiema and other international contenders.
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