Africa-Press – Kenya. Defending champion Maurine Chebor faces her toughest test yet as she lines up for the Betika BingwaFest 10,000m final tomorrow at Kinoru Stadium, where she will go head-to-head with in-form road running sensation Brenda Jepchirchir.
Chebor returns to the track in search of redemption after a subdued outing at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country on February 14, where she clocked 34:41 to finish ninth—far from the dominance that carried her to last year’s title.
Standing in her way is a red-hot Jepchirchir, who arrives in Meru brimming with confidence after a blistering start to the season. She opened her campaign with a stunning victory at the Valencia 10K, clocking 29:25, before reinforcing her form with another commanding win at the Gqeberha 10K in South Africa in 30:15.
The women’s field is further strengthened by a competitive cast that includes Daisila Jerono, Christine Njoki and Sandrafelis Chebet, setting up a tightly contested battle for the podium.
In the men’s 10,000m, world cross country bronze medallist Daniel Simiu Ebenyo headlines a strong line-up that also features defending champion Titus Kiprotich, alongside Robert Kiprop and Mathew Kipkoech.
Beyond athletics, this year’s BingwaFest national finals have attracted a massive turnout, with 16 football teams (eight men and eight women), 24 rugby sides (16 men and eight women), and 32 basketball teams (16 men and 16 women), in addition to more than 200 athletes.
The week-long sporting festival got underway on March 30 with football action and will culminate on Sunday, with athletics, rugby and basketball taking centre stage from Friday.
A total prize purse of Sh23 million is on offer across disciplines, with athletics accounting for over Sh9 million. The 10,000m remains the marquee track event, carrying the richest rewards—Sh400,000 for winners, Sh350,000 for second place, and Sh300,000 for third.
Football and rugby champions, in both men’s and women’s categories, will each pocket Sh1.5 million, while runners-up will earn Sh750,000 and third-placed teams Sh400,000. In 3×3 basketball, winners will take home Sh750,000, with second and third place earning Sh400,000 and Sh200,000, respectively.
Betika Group CEO Mutua Mutava expressed confidence in the continued growth of the event. “The finals are coming to Meru, and they will be bigger this time around. Through BingwaFest, we have seen great athletes use the platform to prepare for bigger stages globally, and we are encouraged by the impact the competition continues to have,” said Mutava.
“We set out to create a tournament that mirrors the Olympics, with equal reward for men and women, and it has been a resounding success over the past two seasons. Beyond competition, it is about nurturing talent, strengthening communities through initiatives such as free medical camps, and inspiring the next generation of Kenyan sportsmen and women.”
