BY STANLEY MAGUT
Stars shake off stiff competition to win GOtv Kecoso Games half marathons
BRUSSELS Iaaf Permit meeting 12km silver medallist Amos Mitei and reigning Family Bank Half Marathon champion Mercy Kibarus shook off stiff competition to win the GOtv-Kecoso Games half marathon yesterday in Eldoret.
Running under the town’s average weather of 14 degrees celcius, Mitei floored the bigwigs that included former London Marathon winner Emmanuel Mutai and Nicholas Togom who faded off the radar.
Mitei, who fought hard for the crown, clocked 62.38 minutes to top the podium while Kirui Chesang placed second in 62.56 and Solomon Kirwa settled for third in 62.59.
Boaz Kiprono finished fourth in 63.17 while Gideon Kipketer (63.35, Moses Kigen (63.80), Daniel Kiprotich (63.86), Daniel Kemboi (63.89), Barnabas Kosgei (63.90) and Kerich Kimwalei closed the top ten finishers in 63.93.
The highly paced race had the winner Mitei, Kipketer and Chesang commanding a pack of ten athletes for the better part of the competition. It was not until the 18km when Mitei upped his pace breaking away from the pack and maintained the tempo to the tape.
The delighted athlete who set a new games half marathon record from 72 minutes to his winning time said the wind was a little heavy hence a lot of resistance on the course.
“It was a hard race to run since no one showed any signs of surrender until when I boldly decided to break away. The wind was medium though it was hard to penetrate it hence slowing down the pace,”Mitei said.
And in the women’s category, Mercy Kibarus who last weekend won the Iten-Safaricon 10km registered another win.
She breasted the tape in 72.77 minutes to win the women’s half marathon while Eunice Jebichii came second in 73.05 and Emily Chemutai finished third in 73.35.
Mercy Too came fourth in 73.45 while Beatrice Ruto (73.59), Peris Chepchirchir (74.22), Naomy Maiyo (75.02), Marion Limo (75.18), Sarah Chepchirchir (75.34) and Pamela Jelimo followed in that order.
Kibarus led from the gun until the 5km mark when she and second placed Jebichii opened a 200m gap while dictating the pace. They exchanged the lead up to the 10km mark when Kibarus broke away and commanded the race up to the tape.
“I a very happy for the victory since I was using it to prepare for forthcoming international assignments,” Kibarus said. The winner pocketed Sh250,000 while second placed got Sh150,000 and third finisher went home with Sh100,000.
Courtesy of the-star.co.ke