Over 3,000 athletes are expected to face off at the 32nd edition of Discovery Kenya Cross Country Championships at the Eldoret Sports Club on Sunday.

However, race director David Letting said several factors might affect participation.

These include the conclusion of both the national trials to the World Cross Country Championships in Australia and the national champions as well as the upcoming Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Gold Tour set for February 4.

“We have had the national championships as well as the national trials for world cross country championships in Bathurst Australia, then next week we shall have the Sirikwa Classic, many athletes may miss this event while others might use it as part of their training for the Sirikwa Classic," said Letting.

Started way back in 1991, Discovery Kenya, formerly Great Rift Valley cross country has been the breeding ground for many athletes who go ahead to win various medals across the world.

“This is the mother of all cross country races in the country and right now, we are preparing for our biggest event ever. We want to ensure that we host as many athletes as possible,” added Letting, who steered the national cross country team to a clean sweep of medals at the 2010 World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

He said preparations for the event are over and all they are waiting for is the d-day where athletes will compete in eight distances.

“We are expecting about 3,000 athletes, competing in the various categories. These include 500m for under five years, 1km for boys and girls aged seven, 2km for boys and girls aged 12, the normal 6km junior women, 8km junior men, 8km senior women and 10km senior men,” explained Letting.