Jelimo tops Meru AK meet entry list

World indoor champions Pamela Jelimo and Hellen Obiri are expected to headline weekend's at  seventh and final National Bank of Kenya/ Athletics Kenya (NBK/AK) weekend meeting at Meru’s Kinoru stadium.

Olympic 800m champion Jelimo took part in the 400m race in Mumias in a bid to improve her speed as she looks to defend her 800m title at the 2012 London Olympics.

Obiri the world 3,000m indoor champion is expected to line up in the 1500m as she looks to prepare for the provicial championships. Other top names who will be in action are Commonwealth champion Silas Kiplagat, Grace Kidake, Irene Jelagat, Joyce Zakary, Leonard Kosencha and William Malel among others.

AK public relation officer Peter Angwenyi said they expect many runners to honour the Meru meet considering it is the last in the series ahead of provincial championships.

 “We are expecting all the top sprinters as well other middle distance runners to be at Meru,” said Angwenyi.

He added that Meru offered a fantastic atmosphere for the athletes to gauge themselves ahead of the Senior Africa Athletics Championships set for Benin in June and the Olympic Games in July.

The Kenya Defence Force, Kenya Prisons and Kenya Police are expected to form the bulk of the congregation at the Kinoru Stadium for the two-day show.

“We expect at least 800 athletes to turn up.”

Previously meetings were held in at Bondo, Thika, Nakuru , Kitale, Mombasa and Mumias.

Hosts and AK treasurer Joseph Kinyua said everything is in place for the two-day meeting that begins Friday and he is looking foward to a successful race.

 Sportsnewsarena Correspondent

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