NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 29 – After disappointing outcomes in the marathons at the World Championship and Commonwealth Games, the national flag was flying high across the world as Kenyans ruled various road races over the weekend.
Matthew Samperu led a Kenyan podium sweep as he clocked 1:02:08 to win the Bali Half Marathon in Indonesia on Sunday.
His fellow countrymen, John Muiruri and Joseph Ngare, timed 1:04:52 and 1:06:48 to finish second and third respectively.
The win was a perfect way for Samperu – who won the men’s 10,000m at the 1st Athletics Kenya Track and Field Weekend meet in February – to bounce back to winning ways after finishing 13th at the Hamburg Half Marathon in June this year.
In the women’s half marathon, Rosemary Katua clocked 1:15:11 to cross the finish line first, ahead of compatriot Margaret Wangui, who came second in 1:23:31.
-All Kenyan affair in Italy-
Meanwhile in Italy, it was an all-Kenyan affair as Isaac Kipkemboi and Lucy Mawia reigned supreme in the men’s 10km and women’s 5km race respectively at the Scalata al Castello Marathon.
The 27-year-old Kipkemboi, who finished second at his last race at the Guido Memorial Marathon in Italy in July, clocked 27:40.02 to grab top honour as Ethiopian-born Italian Yohannes Chiappinelli came second in 27:50.03.
Another Kenyan, Dickson Simba, finished third in 28:11.50.
Belgrade Half Marathon champion Mawia not only defended the title she won last year but also led countrywomen, Janeth Chepngetich and the 2021 Mount Kenya Mountain Running champion Purity Gitonga, to a clean podium sweep.
Mawia timed 15:10.20 to cut the tape as Chepngetich and Gitonga clocked 15:12.30 and 15:17.40 to finish second and third respectively.
-Kenyan sweep at Mexico City Half Marathon-
Another Kenyan sweep of the podium was witnessed at the Mexico City Half Marathon as Edwin Kiptoo ran a course record of 2:10:34 to notch his first win in over 12 months after excelling at the Dhaka Half Marathon in January last year.
Kenneth Limo came second in 2:12:24 as Dhaka Half Marathon champion Rhonzai Kilimo finished third in 2:13:28.
In the women’s race, the 2015 Berlin Half Marathon champion Cynthia Kosgei finished second in 2:31:07, behind winner, Ethiopian Amane Beriso who clocked 2:25:05 as another Ethiopian, Muliye Dekobo came third in 2:36:36.
At the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in Northern Ireland, Kenyans Alfred Ngeno and Shadrack Kimining finished second and third in the men’s race as Ethiopian Jemal Yimer ran away with the top prize.
Ngeno and Kimining clocked 1:01:00 and 1:01:08 respectively as Yimer timed 59:04 in first place.
The women’s 10km world record holder Yalemzerf Yehualaw proved too strong for the Kenyans, timing 1:04:21 to win the women’s race.
She was followed in second and third place by another Ethiopian, Tsehay Gemechu and Kenyan Beatrice Mutai, who ran 1:05:00 and 1:07:37 respectively.
The series of road races are a curtain raiser ahead of the World Marathon Majors races, including the London and Chicago marathons in October and the New York City Marathon, a month later.
