NAIROBI, March 4: World 5,000 metres champion Benjamin Limo was beaten at the Kenyan world cross country championship trials on Saturday. Limo finished the 4-km race in sixth place, timing 12:34.4. A former world youth 1,500 metres champion, Isaac Songok, won in 12:15.7.

Limo, who also lost at the Kenyan national championships last month, has still been selected in the 36-strong Kenyan team for the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on April 1-2.

He said: “The course was too hard, too muddy and I could not manoeuvre. But I am fine with the result and I hope to win medals in the (March 15-26) Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and Fukuoka.”

Athens Olympics 5,000 metres silver medallist Isabella Ochichi suffered her biggest defeat at home with a fifth place finish in the women’s 4-km.

But Ochichi, a police officer, said: “I have got the endurance that I wanted and I can assure you of medals in Melbourne and Fukuoka.”—Reuters