Athletics Kenya's cross country series heads to Western Kenya this weekend, with Amutala Stadium in Kimilili, Bungoma County, hosting the second weekend meeting of the 2026/27 season on Saturday, November 7.

The meeting comes two weeks after the season opener at Machakos Teachers Training College and gives athletes from Western and the North Rift an early chance to test their form and collect prize money before the road and track seasons take over.

What is on the line

Senior winners in the men's and women's 10km races will each take home Sh50,000, with Sh40,000 for second and Sh25,000 for third, according to details published by The Star. Prize money in the senior races goes down to 10th place.

  • Seniors: 10km for both men and women.
  • Under-20: 6km for women and 8km for men, with Sh30,000, Sh20,000 and Sh15,000 for the top three.
  • Under-18: 4km for girls and 6km for boys, with Sh10,000, Sh8,000 and Sh6,000.
  • 2km races for men and women carry the same prizes as the under-18 category.

"We wish all participants the very best as they prepare for the second cross country meet of the season," the federation said in its notice.

Machakos winners set the pace

The men's 10km at Machakos went to Fredrick Chebii in 29:55.8, ahead of Kenneth Kiprono Lagat (30:33.7) and Peter Makau Mutie (30:35.3). Chebii said he was using cross country to build endurance "before I shift focus to the road races and track."

Emmaculate Jepkosgei won the women's 10km in 33:46.7, beating Betty Chelangat and Miriam Chemutai Kibet. She said she had come to redeem herself after finishing second at the Betika Cross Country in Kericho, adding that the sun made the race very tough.

In the junior races at Machakos, Faith Cherotich (under-18 girls), Jairus Byegon (under-18 boys), Cynthia Chepkurui (under-20 women) and Edwin Elkana (under-20 men) took the titles.

Road to Eldoret and Mbabane

The weekend meetings are the first rungs of a ladder that leads to the National Cross Country Championships at Lobo Village in Eldoret on February 13. Those championships will double as trials for the African Cross Country Championships in Mbabane, Eswatini, on March 20, according to the Athletics Kenya 2026/27 calendar reported by Citizen Digital.

After Kimilili, the caravan moves on to Ol Kalou in Nyandarua and Mosocho in Kisii. With the team for Mbabane to be picked at the February trials, coaches and scouts will be watching closely for athletes who can carry early-season form into the new year.

Photos: The Star/Teddy Mulei; Citizen Digital/Athletics Kenya. Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.