Defending champion Nicholas Kipkorir and Sebastian Sawe to clash at Sunday's World 10km Bengaluru

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ATHLETICS Defending champion Nicholas Kipkorir and Sebastian Sawe to clash at Sunday's World 10km Bengaluru

Abigael Wafula 07:45 - 21.05.2023

In the women’s field, most opposition for defending champion Irine Cheptai will come from compatriots Vicoty Chepngeno and Jesca Chelangat and Ethiopia’s Tsehay Gemechu.

Compatriots Sebastian Sawe and Nicholas Kipkorir will go head-to-head at the TCS World 10km Bengaluru on Sunday, May 20.

Kipkorir be going into the race as the defending champion with the hope of retaining the title he won during last year’s event in a dominant display. However, he will face strong opposition especially from his compatriot, who has been in remarkable form since the season started.

Since the season started, Kipkorir has competed in two races and the upcoming assignment will be his third.

He opened the season with a 13th place finish at the World Cross-country Championships in Bathurst, Australia over the senior men’s race. He then finished third over the 10km race at the Adizero Road to Records.

On his part, Sawe, 28, opened his season with a seventh-place finish at the World Cross-country championships before reigning supreme at the Berlin Half Marathon. He then outclassed Kipkorir at the Adizero Road to Records to win the race.

Another one to watch in the highly-contested race is Uganda’s Stephen Kissa who is also in top contention for the title. Kissa has only competed in one race this season but seems to be in good shape.

He finished 11th at the Tokyo Marathon and will be hoping to redeem himself when he lines up for Sunday’s race.

In the women’s field, most opposition for defending champion Irine Cheptai will come from compatriots Vicoty Chepngeno and Jesca Chelangat and Ethiopia’s Tsehay Gemechu.

Cheptai will be opening her season in the race and will be hoping for a fruitful start. Going up against Chepngeno who has already competed in three races will be a tough adventure for the 31-year-old.

Chepngeno finished seventh at the Valencia 10km race and went ahead to win the 10,000m race at the sixth Athletics Kenya meet. She then competed at the Tokyo Marathon but unfortunately did not finish the race.

Chelangat is also a force to reckon with as she has finished among the top five in the two races she has competed in this season. She finished fifth at the Boston 5km race and finished second at the Valencia 10km race.

On her part, Gemechu goes into the race with an aim to upset the Kenyan trio. She finished second at the Tokyo Marathon and will be hoping to go one step better as she lines up for the elite women’s race.

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