Female running star Obiri named games head of mission

Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 23:51:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan
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NAIROBI, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan female distance running star, Hellen Obiri, the world women 5000m champion and Rio 2016 Olympics silver medallist was on Wednesday named as the Team Kenya Chef-de-Mission to the 1st ANOCA Zone V Genocide Memorial Games in Rwanda.

The event will run from April 2 to 6 with 11 nations- Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia and Egypt expected to compete in five sporting codes with 39 medals on offer.

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) confirmed they would send the country's representatives to as many competitions as possible in the event that features athletics, basketball, volleyball, cycling and Taekwondo and open to players between 16 and 18.

"NOCK is committed to giving opportunities for growth and exposure for top athletes, to transition them in administration and management in the country," the local Olympic body stated.

Obiri, 29, shot to prominence in 2012 when she won the women 3000m title at the Istanbul IAAF World Indoor Championships in Turkey, running 8:37.16 for victory.

A year later at the Moscow 2013 worlds, Obiri won bronze over 5000m having taken silver in her World Indoor defence in Sopot, Poland earlier in the season.

Gold medals at the 2014 IAAF World Relays in Bahamas and Africa Championships in Marrakech, Morocco followed before she went on maternal break in 2015.

Obiri returned to win silver at Rio 2016, completing the Kenyan 1-2 with Vivian Cheruiyot before a year later, she won her first senior world title when she raced to a 14:34.86 victory in the women 5000m final of London 2017.

Last year, she scooped the Gold Coast Commonwealth and Asaba African Championships 5000m crowns in Australia and Nigeria.

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