Running for Science and Better Health: KEMRI’s Inaugural Community Cross Country Run Sets the Pace for Health Research

By Veronicah Keter

The inaugural KEMRI Community Cross Country Run 2026 concluded successfully in a landmark celebration of science, sports and preventive healthcare. Held under the theme “Run for Science and Better Health,” the event brought the Eldoret Sports Club into a vibrant hub where scientific research, community engagement and physical activity converged to advance healthier lives and shape future health policy.

The event organized and hosted by the KEMRI Sports Science and Research Centre (SSRC) in partnership with the County Government of Uasin Gishu, the Athletics Kenya among other partners, brought together over 2,000 participants including elite athletes, recreational runners, corporate organizations, healthcare professionals, researchers, children, persons with disabilities, KEMRI staff and members of the community in a shared commitment to promoting healthier communities through science.

The event was officially flagged off by Dr. Martin Bundi representing the A.g VC/CEO, Prof. Elijah Songok alongside SSRC’s acting Deputy Director Dr. Steve Wandiga, KEMRI Kericho Centre Deputy Director Dr. Fredrick Kirui and was graced by the Athletics Kenya North Rift Chairman Mr. Abraham Mutai and the Uasin Gishu County Executive Committee Member for Health Ms. Janet Kurgat, reflecting the strong collaboration between the government, research institutions and the sporting fraternity.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Dr. Bundi welcomed everyone to the event describing the run to be of a historic milestone for KEMRI, the sports science fraternity and the community at large. “It gives me immense pleasure and honor to welcome you all to this historic occasion on behalf of the KEMRI Board of Management and the Ag VC/CEO, the First Edition of the KEMRI Cross Country Run held here in the City of Champions today marks a defining moment in the history of KEMRI because we are not merely organizing a race; we are launching a movement that unites science, sports, health and community towards one common goal – a healthier Kenya,” said Dr. Martin Bundi.

He also highlighted on KEMRI’s mandate, noting that the establishment of the Centre was informed by a simple but profound realization that while Kenya is a global sporting powerhouse, the science underpinning sports performance, athlete health, injury prevention, physical activity, and disease prevention required a stronger research foundation. He explained further that this informed the decision to establish the Centre in Eldoret, being the home of countless Olympic and World champions making it the natural location for advancing sports science research. He noted that the inaugural Community Cross Country Run marked one of the Centre’s first major public engagements, demonstrating how research can directly improve the lives of Kenyans.

The event kicked off with competitions taking to the course across a wide range of race categories designed to promote inclusivity and encourage participation from people of all ages and abilities. The categories included the 10-kilometre and 8-kilometre races, the Under-20 6-kilometre and 8-kilometre races, children’s races of 2 and 1 kilometres, the 500-metre Corporate Challenge and the Disability Inclusive Run featuring the 1-kilometre senior men and women race alongside the 500-metre category. The diversity of the categories underscored KEMRI’s commitment to ensuring that everyone from elite athletes and young runners to corporate teams and persons with disabilities had an opportunity to participate in the pursuit of better health.

The competitive races produced exciting performances, with Mercy Chepso and Kenneth Lagat crowned the Champions of the run. In the senior women’s 10-kilometre race, Mercy Chepso claimed victory after crossing the finish line in 34:47.6, ahead of Naum Chebiwott Kiplagat, while Faith Chebiwot Ngura finished third. In the men’s elite 10-kilometre race, Kenneth Lagat emerged victorious in 29:49.2, outpacing Richard Kibet, with Kipkande Mkulia securing third place.

The outstanding performances were rewarded with cash prizes, with winners in both the men’s and women’s senior 10-kilometre races receiving KSh 30,000, while second and third place finishers received KSh 20,000 and KSh 15,000, respectively with all the other categories receiving a token of appreciation as well.

Beyond the competition, the event served as a major community outreach initiative where over 1,000 members of the public received attention from the pitched medical camps which offered free screenings for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and cancer screening for breast, cervical and prostate cancers. The camps also offered laboratory services, X-Ray examination, dental and optical services enabling early detection of health risks while establishing referral pathways to ensure that individuals requiring further care receive appropriate follow-up and emergency services enabled the critical cases to receive care. Members of the public were also sensitized on the importance of registering with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to enhance access to affordable healthcare services through a set-up registration desk at the event to facilitate on-site enrolment. Throughout the event, KEMRI championed for a simple but powerful behaviour-change message that walking, running and active living are lowcost, high-impact interventions available to every Kenyan.

This was made possible through the great partnership of medical partners including: Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret Hospital, Life Care Hospital, Tophill Hospital, Oak Tree Centre for Bone and Chronic Diseases, Equity Afya, Suswo Healthcare Limited, Smiles Haven Dental Clinic, Kutoi Ayurveda Clinic, Minnovate Afya, Ambience Children’s Hospital, Shaona Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Dawa Life Sciences, St. Luke’s Orthopaedic and Trauma Hospital and Chebarbar Chemist who played a key role in delivering the community health screenings.

In addition to medical screenings, athletes benefited from education sessions and anti-doping awareness initiatives conducted by the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK). The sessions sensitized participants on clean sport, the dangers of prohibited substances, doping control procedures and athletes’ rights and responsibilities ADAK also carried out anti-doping testing on selected athletes, underscoring the importance of integrity in sport while promoting fair competition and compliance with international anti-doping standards.

Speaking during the event, the Uasin Gishu County Executive Committee Member for Health, Ms. Janet Kurgat, appreciated KEMRI’s SSRC team for organizing such an event through great partnership with the county Government of Uasin Gishu and other partners, “We are proud to partner with KEMRI and welcome the research mandate of the Sports Science Research Centre. This run is not just for elite athletes but for every Kenyan who wants to live healthier, fuller and longer lives and through the work of the SSRC, we gain evidence-based knowledge on how physical activity prevents disease, how exercise can be prescribed like medicine, how athletes can be protected and how our communities can thrive,” she said.

Ms. Kurgat appreciated the theme of the run: Run for Science and Better Health, noting that it is a critical public health intervention and a practical demonstration of how research translates into action and how science serves not only laboratories, but people. She promised to incorporate this into County Health Department’s Vision for the Future, “As we look at the future, the Uasin Gishu County Health Department is committed to supporting and expanding the SSRC’s work. We envision programmes that extend from the elite track to the local village reaching every citizen and we are really looking forward to partnering with you in the second edition to inform more people to benefit from your work,” Uasin Gishu County Executive Committee Member for Health, Ms. Janet Kurgat

Echoing her sentiments, the Athletics Kenya North Rift Chairman lauded KEMRI for the successful debut of the event highlighting that the event aligns with their strategy of taking athletics closer to the communities and he affirmed on the good reception of the event through the numbers received, “This inaugural event has started off well from the number of people seen participating today and I sincerely appreciate KEMRI for starting off on a high note. I confirm to you through a great partnership that we have had with KEMRI that this will be an annual event going forward and we will have to hold talks with KEMRI to adjust this to the cross country season to merge with our calendar of events, which then we hope to take it around other counties to benefit communities countrywide,” he said.

The initiative embodied KEMRI’s commitment to corporate social responsibility by bringing essential health services closer to communities. It also marked the beginning of an ambitious sports science research agenda where researchers will use the data generated during the event to investigate the relationship between physical activity, altitude and the prevention of non-communicable diseases among the Kenyan population. The findings are expected to contribute to at least two peer-reviewed scientific publications and one national policy brief, providing evidence that will directly inform health policies and strategies aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Dr. Martin Bundi appreciated all participants for making the event a success. He expressed gratitude to the County Government of Uasin Gishu, Athletics Kenya, corporate sponsors, development partners, healthcare partners, KEMRI staff, volunteers and members of the public for their invaluable support in making the inaugural Community Cross Country Run a success. He noted that the lessons learned from the first edition would inform the planning and organization of future events, expressing confidence that the run would continue to grow into a flagship annual event ,“This edition has laid a strong foundation and we as KEMRI are grateful to all our partners, sponsors, volunteers and participants whose support made this event a success. We will build on the lessons learned as we plan future editions, ensuring the KEMRI Community Cross Country Run grows into a premier platform for promoting science, health and community wellness,” he remarked.

The success of the inaugural Community Cross Country Run was made possible through the generous support of corporate sponsors, including KCB Bank, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, Supa Loaf, Brookside Dairy, Eldowas and Eldoret Sports Club. The event also received invaluable support from professional bodies, including the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), Kenya Sports Medicine Association (KSMA), Kenya Medical Association (KMA), Kenya Association of Sports (KAS) and the National Olympic Committee of Kenya.

More than a race, the maiden edition of the Community Cross Country Run underscored the mandate of the KEMRI Sports Science and Research Centre to generate evidence that advances sports performance, promotes healthy lifestyles and informs public health policy.  As KEMRI looks ahead to future editions, the run has laid a strong foundation for an annual flagship event that will continue to strengthen partnerships, advance sports science research and promote better health for all Kenyans.