Speed merchants stick Cross-country rivals all set to rock Kampala to game plan in relay

THE fact the South African 4x100m record did not fall in the fourth leg of the Athletics South Africa Speed Series in Germiston did not register in Akani Simbine’s worry tank.

Simbine led a quartet that included Gift Leotlela‚ Henricho Bruintjies and Clarence Munyai.

They ran an excellent 38.47‚ displaying their improving form and class.

However‚ it wasn’t enough to eclipse the 38.35 but the synergy and the pace they showed on Wednesday evening meant the record will fall sooner rather than later.

With the ASA National Athletics Championships taking place at the Kenneth McArthur Stadium in Potchefstroom next month‚ they will have heat and altitude to make an assault on the record.

Certainly‚ that’s what Simbine is thinking.

“We were happy with the outcome of the race and all we wanted to do was to make sure we got the baton going around‚” he said.

“We also needed to make sure we run our marks and make sure we do that to the best of our abilities.

“We all executed well and we could see what the times are.

“If we get more training‚ we can get sharper and the time will be lower.

“We can do better and we know it’s going to be warmer in Potchefstroom and for us as sprinters‚ we love heat.

“By the time Potch comes round‚ we will be faster and sharper.

“It’s going to be better and it’s going to be nice with the fact that we’ll be running together at the national championships.”

While there is the big carrot of the World Relay Championships that take place on April 22-23 in the Bahamas‚ they also happen to clash with the national championships.

Simbine is aware of the importance of the IAAF event which also serves as a qualifier for the World Championships relay races but he wants to be charitable at home first.

“I think I’ve told people what I want to do for nationals and I’ve decided on staying in South Africa and competing in the national championships.

“I feel like I owe it to the locals to watch us race and we give them a good time.

“We have a number of athletes who are running really good times.

“I feel that we need to be here and give them the show they deserve‚” said Simbine.

“We’re always watching the United States of America trials or the United Kingdom trials and we know those guys are running fast.

“We’ve also got athletes who are running fast and they can bring that excitement to the track.

“We need to give South Africans a good show to watch at the Championships.” — TMG THE World Cross-Country Championship takes place in Kampala on Sunday in Uganda’s biggest ever sports showpiece, with the traditional rivalry between Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes set to dominate the event.

More than 550 athletes from 59 countries and one refugee team from South Sudan will take part, making the event the biggest cross-country meeting since 2006 where 574 competitors took part in the Japanese city of Fukuoka.

Kenya and Ethiopia have dominated the event since 1981 and all eyes will be on the two running-mad nations at Kampala’s Kololo grounds, scene of Uganda’s Independence celebrations in October 1962.

Kenya won the men’s senior title a record 18 years in row from 1986 to 2003, with most of the wins under former national team coach Mike Kosgei.

Kosgei is back with Kenya as the deputy team manager for Kampala championships, and the veteran coach has warned that although Kenya will field a formidable team, the hosts and a couple of countries with former Kenyan-born athletes should not be underrated.

“Many people are thinking the race will be between Ethiopia and Kenya, but they are forgetting about the Ugandans and former Kenyans who are competing for other countries like Bahrain, Qatar and the United States,” said Kosgei.

“Uganda have a strong team led by the 2014 World and African 10 000m champion Joshua Cheptegei and Timothy Toroitich, winner of two big international cross-country races in Spain this winter.

“Being the hosts should also give the Ugandans the home advantage to show their pedigree.”

Bahrain claimed its first ever medal at the last World cross-country championship in Guiyang with a bronze in the team event, thanks to a legion of former Ethiopian and Kenyan runners.

Nearly a quarter of the 28-member strong team representing the United States are former Kenyans who have taken up American citizenship.

The United States team includes the national cross-country champion Leonard Korir, who won the Great Edinburgh cross-country race in January and the current Olympic 5000m silver medallist, Paul Chelimo.

The 26-year-old Chelimo is one of the four athletes named for the inaugural Mixed Relay, a race comprising male and female runners introduced for the first time to spice up the championships.

Both Kenya and Ethiopian have named an array of Olympic and world champions in their teams.

The world cross-country championship is considered one of the most difficult races to win, even more difficult than the Olympic Games, due to the tough course terrains.

Uganda becomes only the fourth African country to host the International Association of Athletics Federations (Iaaf) event in its 44th-year history.

Morocco hosted twice in 1975 and 1998, South Africa in 1996 and Kenya in 2007. The competition was changed from an annual to a biennial event in 2011.

Kampala also marks the first time that senior women will race the distance of 10km. — AFP