Chicago champ rules out competing in world cross country in Kampala

Nairobi, Dec 7 (IANS) Chicago marathon champion Florence Kiplagat of Kenya has ruled out competing in the World Cross Country Championships next year.

Kiplagat, 29, competed in the Iten cross country meet last week and hopes to reclaim the title she last won in Amman, Jordan in the 2009 World Cross Country. She said she was not keen to compete in Kampala in March, where the biannual competition will be held, reports Xinhua.

"I just wanted to feel my body and see how good I am in training and competition. I focus on doing a half marathon in January and then focus on the London Marathon in April," Kiplagat said here on Tuesday.

In the 10km senior women, Immaculate Jebet fought hard to overcome a stiff challenge in the field that included Florence Kiplagat.

She clocked 31 minutes 8.7 minutes for the victory while Nelly Jeptoo came second in 31:15.0 as Gladys Kimaina timed 31:18.6 in third.

Kiplagat has not competed for Kenya in the last four years, save for her World Half marathon in Copenhagen where she won.

However, her focus is to win the London marathon and boost her prospects of making the Kenya team to the 2017 London World Marathon Championships.

"I want to compete in London and win, but it is the World Championships that I really yearn for. I was named in the reserve team for the Rio Olympics, but never made the final three. Now I hope to do well in 2017 and make it to London in August," she said.

--IANS

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