Africa-Press – Kenya. Tinderet Barng’etuny Mountain Run champion Michael Selelo Saoli has vowed to win the overall WMRA Mountain Running World Cup title this year.Saoli started the Mountain Running World Cup campaign on a bright note on Sunday, winning the São Brás Cross in Portugal.
The 10.9km classic up-and-down race, with 628 meters of ascent and descent, was the first WMRA Mountain Running World Cup event of the year and was held in Castro Daire.Saoli clocked 42:22, beating Great Britain’s 2019 World Cup champion Andrew Douglas, who finished second in 43:37, while Oscar Subuh-Symons was third in 44:07.Speaking on the phone on Wednesday before departing for Beijing, China, for this weekend’s races, Saoli said he was happy with the winning start.
“I have started the season on a winning note. I want to remain focused, train hard, and become the overall winner this year. Last year, I finished third,” said the Run2gether athlete.Winning the annual Tinderet Barng’etuny Mountain Run in January gave him fresh impetus ahead of the gruelling season.“Tinderet Barng’etuny race was a good preparation for the season. Winning the race against the best mountain runners in the country gave me confidence that I will do well this season,” he added.
On Saturday, Saoli said he expects a podium finish at the double-header in Beijing, featuring an uphill race and a classic up-and-down race at the Beijing Changping Yanshou Trail Challenge.The race is set against the mountainous landscape surrounding the Great Wall, followed by a demanding classic up-and-down race (18 km / 1,275 m +/−) in the Silver Mountain Pagoda Forest.“The Yanshou Trail Challenge is a technical route, and the top mountain runners will take part in the races. My target is a podium finish. I have had good preparations, and I’m in good shape,” said Saoli, who also won the Meru University Mountain Run last year.
During last year’s World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Canfranc Pirineos, Spain, he finished sixth and led Team Kenya to a team gold medal.Kenya’s Ruth Gitonga Mwihaki, who won the São Brás Cross race, will, however, not travel to China due to a visa hitch.
On Sunday, World Championships classic race runner-up Mwihaki proved impossible to reel in as she took the women’s win in 49:12.Great Britain’s defending World Cup champion Scout Adkin was second in 50:13, and Nelie Clement claimed third in 51:20.Defending World Cup champion Philemon Kiriago will start his title defence on May 9 when the circuit reaches the Canary Islands for the Transvulcania weekend in La Palma.The uphill race climbs 1,248 metres over 7.3 km across volcanic terrain, while the 25 km +2,000 long-distance race tests endurance across the island’s ridge-lines and exposed sections.
