visa reasons wrote:
VISA application process nowadays takes long.
It always has been. A US passport pretty much gets you anywhere worth going to without a visa. Not so the other way around.
This post was edited 32 seconds after it was posted.
Kenyan national xc champs to pick team for 2026 World XC in USA is this Saturday in Eldoret. Why are they holding them so early?
Pro News/Info/Results
Cross Country
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Wasn't the US selection to the World Road Championships in late September based on the US Half Marathon Nationals in early March...?
Well, they probably knew that San Diego was never meant to survive.
So what happens in 2026? US Nationals in early March ("may be used as selection event"). WC in late September. Uh? Sounds familiar.00 -
Idid wrote:
I don’t see this as early. It is 11 weeks before the event. This gives them time to know they are on the team so they can train for the event. This makes sense.
Yea, unlike the US, the Kenyan team seems to actually care about this event. They generally start training together as a team (unless that has changed). I really wish the USA guys would band together for this event, we could put together a gold medal team. Fisher, Blanks, Young, Hocker?, Schubert, Hunter, Kincaid, Colley. It won't ever happen though.
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rojo wrote:
It's crazy they are running the Trials this early. Anyone in Kenya have a reason as to why they'd put it right now. It seems like the dumbest time ever to hold the Trials. The track guys haven't built back up from any breaks they had.
I came across an article stating the 2023 World 10,000 silver medallist Daniel Simiu (Ebenyo), who vowed never to run for Kenya again after being left off the 2024 Olympic team, will be racing and will compete if selected. What's crazy is Simiu ran the Chicago Marathon on October 12th (2:07:52)
They could've just used the NCAA X-C Championships for selection.
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Ebenyo is a beast and wins30
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Full teams here
Chebet and N’getich (Valencia Half) given byes into the women’s team
This post was edited 11 minutes after it was posted.30 -
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rojo wrote:
It's crazy they are running the Trials this early. Anyone in Kenya have a reason as to why they'd put it right now. It seems like the dumbest time ever to hold the Trials. The track guys haven't built back up from any breaks they had.
I came across an article stating the 2023 World 10,000 silver medallist Daniel Simiu (Ebenyo), who vowed never to run for Kenya again after being left off the 2024 Olympic team, will be racing and will compete if selected. What's crazy is Simiu ran the Chicago Marathon on October 12th (2:07:52)
new zealand had their trials back in august
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rojo wrote:
It's crazy they are running the Trials this early. Anyone in Kenya have a reason as to why they'd put it right now. It seems like the dumbest time ever to hold the Trials. The track guys haven't built back up from any breaks they had.
I came across an article stating the 2023 World 10,000 silver medallist Daniel Simiu (Ebenyo), who vowed never to run for Kenya again after being left off the 2024 Olympic team, will be racing and will compete if selected. What's crazy is Simiu ran the Chicago Marathon on October 12th (2:07:52)
i would not have trials. and pick the best runners, like they select in a team sport. in the process i would rule out people who are sus, fringe, clearly not A game of the moment. and time trial the guys together as necessary over 8 k, rather than mess up orep for worlds with stupid requirement to peak at trials too near the last lobg hard season.
do it.
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it is like asking players that went to the nba finals, to gear up wihout much rest to play another finals in a lower reward setting... where he better players decline. which is why you give mantz grant nico spots straight up. if i were an athlete i would absolutely love to do team xc, but i would tell them to shove it, if it mean ruining prep for the next year, and injury. so they have to shove it.
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I don’t follow this as closely as you and Will Coop. Is it a bit surprising that Ebenyo wins here 13 days after running Chicago? Is this more a sign of Ebenyo being formidable or maybe some relative weakness on this squad, or perhaps equal parts both?
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Koopers wrote:
I don’t follow this as closely as you and Will Coop. Is it a bit surprising that Ebenyo wins here 13 days after running Chicago? Is this more a sign of Ebenyo being formidable or maybe some relative weakness on this squad, or perhaps equal parts both?
I think its mighty impressive from Ebenyo to bounce back like this, the way he won it suggests he could have made top 6 even against better opposition. I was surprised he was racing though.
Its an interesting senior men's team, no wildcards granted as of yet.
1. Daniel Ebenyo (12:54/26:57/59:04/2:06:04) on paper clearly the best Kenyan and only real gold medal contender on the team.
2. Kevin Chesang 19 years old from Central Rift same group as Ishmael Kipkurui. 5th at Kapsokwony XC meet last month.
3. Denis Kipkoech (13:03 5000m) 19 years old. World U20 3000m silver medalist. Beat Cole Hocker in Stockholm DL.
4. Shadrack Kipngetich Koech 27:21 10k in 2019. Resurgent in local races this year.
5. Weldon Langat (26:55/59:22) Tokyo Olympian at 10000m. Sub 27 10k twice on the roads
6. Robert Kiprop Koech (13:12/27:51/61:27) Iten based, usually good in races in Kenya.
Ishmael Kipkurui was in the race only finished about 12th. Benson Kiplangat DNF I think. Its an interesting team but doesn't look to be the strongest. USA team-gold chances go up
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Thank you Will. Are the doping busts having much impact? Are some of the big players not participating? Will they have wild cards? Do you think the Kenya Federation still makes World Cross Country a high priority? Is Ethiopia a threat to win?
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Koopers wrote:
Thank you Will. Are the doping busts having much impact? Are some of the big players not participating? Will they have wild cards? Do you think the Kenya Federation still makes World Cross Country a high priority? Is Ethiopia a threat to win?
Doping busts - I thinks its cleaning up Kenya to some degree. Hard to know how much, hopefully significantly but idk. So no more Kibiwott Kandie, Rhonex Kipruto, Rodgers Kwemoi from previous teams. Dopers are definitely being caught.
Two big impacts of the October date is its close to the track season, Kipkurui wasn't at his best, no Kurgat, Cornelius Kemboi etc. The other is we are in the midst of the Japanese ekiden season. A lot of Kenyans are in Japan for that reason - Stanley Waithaka, Samwel Masai, Gideon Rono, Samuel Kibathi. Half of last years men's senior 10k team was based in Japan at the time. This year Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli chose to do Valencia half too.
They named the top 6 as the team so I'm not predicting any wild cards. Maybe Kipkurui makes his case and replaces someone.
There's decent prize money at the champs so I think its still a priority just the shortened season and October date is inconvenient for many. At least the chance of visa problems is lessened.
Ethiopia is a threat to win. Just like Kenya its hard to know how many of there top guys show up for Jan Meda (national champs). I also don't know when that is. Kejelcha and Barega I doubt compete. Aregawi probably will. Biniam Mehary, Mezgebu Sime, Kairi Bejiga, Telahun Haile, Gemechu Dida?? it could be a great team or many of them will skip. Recently Kenya has put together stronger teams and shown more interest in XC than Ethiopia while Ethiopia more of an indoor track focus
This post was edited 27 seconds after it was posted.40 -
Will coop wrote:
Koopers wrote:
Thank you Will. Are the doping busts having much impact? Are some of the big players not participating? Will they have wild cards? Do you think the Kenya Federation still makes World Cross Country a high priority? Is Ethiopia a threat to win?
Doping busts - I thinks its cleaning up Kenya to some degree. Hard to know how much, hopefully significantly but idk. So no more Kibiwott Kandie, Rhonex Kipruto, Rodgers Kwemoi from previous teams. Dopers are definitely being caught.
Two big impacts of the October date is its close to the track season, Kipkurui wasn't at his best, no Kurgat, Cornelius Kemboi etc. The other is we are in the midst of the Japanese ekiden season. A lot of Kenyans are in Japan for that reason - Stanley Waithaka, Samwel Masai, Gideon Rono, Samuel Kibathi. Half of last years men's senior 10k team was based in Japan at the time. This year Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli chose to do Valencia half too.
They named the top 6 as the team so I'm not predicting any wild cards. Maybe Kipkurui makes his case and replaces someone.
There's decent prize money at the champs so I think its still a priority just the shortened season and October date is inconvenient for many. At least the chance of visa problems is lessened.
Ethiopia is a threat to win. Just like Kenya its hard to know how many of there top guys show up for Jan Meda (national champs). I also don't know when that is. Kejelcha and Barega I doubt compete. Aregawi probably will. Biniam Mehary, Mezgebu Sime, Kairi Bejiga, Telahun Haile, Gemechu Dida?? it could be a great team or many of them will skip. Recently Kenya has put together stronger teams and shown more interest in XC than Ethiopia while Ethiopia more of an indoor track focus
Very informative. Thank you.
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The Obvious Answer wrote:
Get as many doses / as much training in before the window to best avoid testing closes.
Are you talking about team USA?
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Update: Along with Chebet being out it now seems like Ishmael Kipkurui has been added to the men's squad, only 15th at the trials but a big addition if he's near his best. Assuming he replaced Robert Koech but can't confirm
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