Japan-based Hellen Ekalale expressed confidence in her victory during the senior women’s 10km race at the fifth leg of the Betika Athletics Kenya (AK) Cross Country Series in Ol Kalou on Saturday.
Competing at the Ol Kalou Arboretum, Ekalale dominated from start to finish, securing the win with a time of 35:53.1. North Rift’s Christine Njoki continued her strong performances in the series, clocking 36:25.1 to finish second, while Joylin Cherotich took third in 37:13.1.
Ekalale described the victory as a moment of joy, saying, "This was the day the Lord had made for me to rejoice."
The 25-year-old attributed her confidence to her solid performances in Japan, where she is based. "I was really confident coming into today’s race because I have been performing well in Japan. As soon as the race began, I knew I could win, so I pushed myself and secured the victory," she explained.
With her victory, Ekalale now hopes to represent Kenya at the World Championships in Tokyo, where she has established her base. "The fact that the World Championships will be held in Tokyo is enough motivation for me to aim for a spot on Team Kenya. It would be a dream come true to compete for Kenya in Japan," she said.
The next leg of the series will take place on January 4 in Kisii.