NAIROBI, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- World 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri faces a stiff challenge from silver medalist Margaret Chelimo at the Seville cross country meeting in Spain on Sunday.
The race, which is part of the World Athletics cross country permit meeting, will be Obiri's second after she won in Elgoibar.
"My focus is on cross country. I want to boost my endurance before coming into the track season. However, I have no plans to compete in the indoor tour because the World Indoor Championships in China are not part of my plans," said Obiri on Wednesday.
Nanjing will host the World Indoor Championships from March 13-15 and despite the omission of Obiri, Kenya will still enter a strong team led by world champion in steeplechase Beatrice Chepkoech.
However, in Seville, Obiri and Chelimo will not have a walk in the pack as they come up against Kenya's world U-20 cross country champion Beatrice Chebet and world 5,000m fourth finisher Tsehay Gemechu from Ethiopia.
Meanwhile, the top names in the men's race include world cross country silver medalist Jacob Kiplimo from Uganda, Olympic 5,000m silver medalist Paul Chelimo from the United States and multiple steeplechase medalist Soufiane El Bakkali from Morocco.
