Former champion Paul Tergat has urged Kenya's athletes to help with the aftermath of the political violence that rocked their country by retaining the team title at this month's world cross country championships.

"We can rise from the ashes like the proverbial phoenix and retain the world title. Three weeks are enough to make a winning team, but training must be intensive," Tergat said.

"As part of national healing, we can use the world championships to unite the nation by retaining the overall team title," said the former five-time world champion.

Tergat, a former world marathon record holder, made his call during the Kenyan national cross country championships, held in Nairobi ahead of the world event in Edinburgh on March 30.

More than 1,000 people have been killed in violence since December 27 elections which the opposition accused President Mwai Kibaki of rigging. Calm has now returned and Kibaki and the opposition have signed a deal to form a coalition government.