Chebet to take part in Menengai Half Marathon

Bronze medalist Kenya's Emily Chebet (center) celebrates with fellow athletes after the final of the women's 10,000m athletics event at Hampden Park during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland on July 29, 2014. Chebet is the latest elite athlete to enlist for Sunday’s Menengai Geothermal Half Marathon in Nakuru. PHOTO| AFP

What you need to know:

  • Winners will pocket Sh300,000 in prize money. The top 20 athletes in each category will win prizes
  • Interestingly, Ongori and Kilel were in Kenya’s team for the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championship in Birmingham, England

Two-time World Cross Country champion Emily Chebet is the latest elite athlete to enlist for Sunday’s Menengai Geothermal Half Marathon in Nakuru.

The men’s field has also attracted 2013 Paris Marathon champion Kimeli Some, Sammy Kipkorir and Nicholas Togom who will challenge Matthew Kisorio in men’s 21km race.

Winners will pocket Sh300,000 in prize money. The top 20 athletes in each category will win prizes. The 28-year-old Chebet, winner of the 2010 and 2013 World Cross, is fresh from winning bronze in 10,000m at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

KILEL TO COMPLETE
Chebet will face Commonwealth Games silver medallist Caroline Kilel and the 2011 Boston Marathon champion Philes Ongori in the women’s category of the event sponsored by Geothermal Development Company.

Ongori, the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championship silver medalist, will be making a comeback from injury that saw her miss the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Ongori made her full marathon debut in 2011 winning the Rotterdam Marathon. She holds a personal best of 1:07:38 in the half marathon.

Interestingly, Ongori and Kilel were in Kenya’s team for the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championship in Birmingham, England. 

PERSONAL BEST

Ongori settled for silver in a personal best 1:07:38 behind Mary Keitany, who set a championship record time of 1:06:36 with Kilel, the 2013 Frankfurt Marathon winner, coming home fourth, also in PB 1:08:16 to gift Kenya team title.

It will be pulsating to see how the men’s battle unfolds. Kisorio, Team Kenya captain for the 2009 World Cross Country Championships, is on a comeback bid after completing a two-year doping ban in July.

He won the UAP Ndakaini Half Marathon last week, just a week after claiming the Safaricom Jaramogi Oginga Odinga 15km Road race in Bondo on his return.