Aasai

Preparations for the 3rd Chepsaita Cross Country Race have begun in Uasin Gishu County where President Rutos aide, Farouk Kibet, attended a pre-launch press conference. Farouk, the patron of the race held in the Chepsaita Hills area, said over Sh20 million would be won this year. He led the launch of preparations for the international race, saying his dream is to educate as many children as possible using the proceeds from the race. He noted that this year, scholarships worth over Sh20 million would be awarded. "We want to hold this race to help our young boys and girls compete in the race. We also want to build our community to benefit everyone," said Farouk.

 He added that a portion of the proceeds would also be directed to support local health institutions. "We started far and we are going far. My intention is to see more children get education as the foundation for a better life," he said. Farouk stressed that many talents will be discovered and developed through the Chepsaita event. NOCK Vice President Barnabas Korir announced that the event will be held on December 6, 2025, with over 10,000 runners expected to participate.

 Korir, who is also the event chairman, said former athlete Ibrahim Kipkemboi is the chairman of the technical committee. The race is classified as Gold Standard by the IAAF. Athletes from over 25 countries are expected to participate under the theme “Running for Education.” “From the previous races, we have achieved a lot in supporting education through scholarships for needy children,” said Farouk. Over 600 students have already benefited from scholarships worth over Sh16 million, while 20 schools have also received support. Korir said there will be 12 categories of races, from elite to youth.

 The winners in the elite category will each receive Sh750,000, while the second place will take Sh500,000 and the third place Sh350,000 in the men’s and women’s races. “In terms of prize money, it is the highest paying cross-country race in the world and also the most well-organized,” Korir said. He added that the event will greatly benefit the community through education, scholarships and other support programmes. “This event is far from the city but in a few years we will have this area transformed into an international hub for many activities,” Korir said.

 Farouk said more youths will be encouraged to participate and urged athletes to train to prepare for the competition. “Training hard will enable runners to win easily. We will raise the bar and ensure that runners from here emerge to compete in international races,” Farouk said. A medical camp will be held on December 3 before the event. 

He urged the youths to use the opportunities of the race to change their lives.Farouk noted that there are many champions in the area who need to focus solely on developing their talents through the Chepsaita race. “We have come a long way, from those years when we could only watch TV at one old man’s house because there was no one else. Now we want to use this event to help ourselves in many ways,” he said.