The Half Marathon champion declared on Monday when the team arrived to a warm reception at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from Guiyang, China.
The team had finished second behind rivals Ethiopia after collecting two individual gold and junior men team title, against two individual and three team titles.
They were taken to a victory tour where the caravan snaked through Mombasa Road, Jogoo Road, and Central Business District before turning to Lang’ata Road where they were hosted to a luncheon by the federation.
Almost a year after winning his first senior global title at the 2014 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen, Kamworor got the Kenyan national anthem played in his honour once again at one of the biggest events in the sport when he completed the twisting, hilly and difficult Guiyang course in 34:52, eight seconds ahead of compatriot Bedan Karoki who took silver.
Kamworor will be looking to reclaim the title last won by Charles Kimathi 15years ago, the feat that evaded legendary Paul Tergat who won five successive World Cross titles and held world marathon record from 2003 to 2007.
Women’s 8km champion, Agnes Tirop who graduated to the senior ranks in style, said he did not expect to win gold in the race that had experienced runners, including defending champion and compatriot Emily Chebet.
Chebet who failed to enter into history books as the third woman in history to win the coveted women’s long race title thrice in the footsteps of Norwegian legend and five-time winner, Grete Waitz and three-time winner, Ethiopian titan, Tirunesh Dibaba said she will bounce back in 2017.
Kenya lost the junior women’s individual title for the first time since 2009 when Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba won and the team gold for the first time since 2010. Both gold medals were won by Ethiopia.
The Ethiopians swept the board with Leteseneb Gidey, Dera Dida and Etagegn Woldu leading their 1-2-3 finish.
Kenya’s best placed finisher was Daisy Jepkemei at fourth.
AUTHOR: SANDRA OBIRI.