The 2017 IAAF world cross country championships opened with a new event, the Mixed Relay, which consisted of four 2000m carries by two men and two women, in alternating fashion. Bernard Koros was the third runner for the Kenyan team that also included Asbel Kiprop (1st leg), Winfred Mbithe (2nd leg), and Beatrice Chepkoech (anchor). The team led at every exchange and claimed the gold medals with a time of 22:22 ahead of Ethiopia (22:30), and Turkey (22:37).
In the junior women’s 6 km race, Celliphine Chespol captured the bronze medal (19:02) in the race won by Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia (18:34). Along with Personae teammate Hellen Lobun who finished 5th (19:16), Chespol helped Kenya earn the silver podium spot (20 points) after a close battle with team champion Ethiopia (19 points).
Personae athletes put a big stamp on the senior women’s 10 km race, with Alice Aprot Nawowuna earning the silver medal (32:01), Ruth Jebet in 7th place (32:49), and Rose Chelimo finishing 9th (33:01). Aprot helped Kenya win the championship after a dominating team performance that included an unprecedented Kenyan sweep of the top-6 places, led by individual champion Irene Cheptai (31:57). Jebet and Chelimo were the top-2 finishers for the Bahraini team that earned the bronze medals.
Finally, in the senior men’s 10 km event, 7th placer Vincent Rono (29:00) and 12th placer Leonard Patrick Komon (29:16), joined back-to-back champion Geoffrey Kamwowor (28:24) on the team podium, as Kenya finished a close 2nd (22 points) behind team champion Ethiopia (21 points).