Rosa, the race sponsor for 25 years, threatens to pull out

Gabrielle Rosa, founder of Discovery Kenya Eldoret Half Marathon second (right) talks to athletics coach, David Letting, during the Discovery Kenya Half Marathon, men's race in Eldoret town, which was marred by disorganisation on February 07, 2016. The race was stopped and restarted, after the athletes had run a 3km lap, in the wrong route. Abel Kangogo won the race clocking 61:42:9. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA

By  COPPERFIELD LAGAT

What you need to know:

  • Albert Kangogo and Edith Chelimo won the Discovery Kenya Eldoret Half Marathon men’s and women’s titles as confusion marred the silver jubilee on Sunday.
  • The competition was, however, overshadowed by course confusion that saw some athletes take short cuts much to the chagrin of fans and fellow competitors.
  • Some athletes walked off the course in protest after spotting cheats enter the race mid-way.
  • Many athletes wanted to clock good times in preparation for the 2016 marathon season that starts later this month with the Tokyo Marathon.

Albert Kangogo and Edith Chelimo won the Discovery Kenya Eldoret Half Marathon men’s and women’s titles as confusion marred the silver jubilee on Sunday.

Kangogo clocked 61:42.9 in the men’s 21km race while Chelimo won the women’s 10km race after clocking 33:26.09.

The competition was, however, overshadowed by course confusion that saw some athletes take short cuts much to the chagrin of fans and fellow competitors.

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Since the event was being held in Eldoret Town, the nerve centre of athletics, runners had high expectations.

Many wanted to clock good times in preparation for the 2016 marathon season that starts later this month with the Tokyo Marathon.

What would have been a befitting celebration of 25 years of discovering talent in the race launched in 1991, along with a cross country version by Gabrielle Rosa of Italy-based Rosa Associati Sports Management Team, turned into a huge farce.

Some athletes walked off the course in protest after spotting cheats enter the race mid-way. Officials had a hard time establishing the genuine finishers.

GO AN EXTRA LOOP

Nahashon Rokony, 25, claimed that after leading the pack for the better part of the race and completing, he was told to go an extra loop.

“I completed the 21km but the organisers still wanted me to go for another 3km lap. I think corruption was at play,” Rokony alleged.

“I suspect some officials were out to ensure the cheats won. It would be better if the results were cancelled,” he said.

There were a myriad malpractices such that Rosa, who has sponsored the race for the last 25 years, threatened to cancel his sponsorship.

“Unless they revert to the old course, which took loops inside town, I will pull out next year,” he said.

A police motorcycle that was to be used to guide the athletes through the course failed to start.

“The motorbike failed to start and athletes overtook it and took a wrong turn. We came up with provisional results for the men’s 21km,” said David Letting, one of the organisers.

However, Eldoret traffic base commander Harry Munene absolved his team from blame.

“Our officers took the right direction but the problem was the lead car. We had a problem in the co-ordination between the starter and the organisers,” said Munene.
Chelimo’ beat 88 athletes to claim her first race after returning from maternity leave.

SELECTED RESULTS

Men’s 21km:

1. Albert Kangogo (61 minutes, 42.9 seconds)

2. Moses Yator (61:44:9)

3. Patrick Kipng’eno (62:13:3)

4. Christoper Soget (62:22.5)

5. Henry Kosgei (62:28.7)

Women’s 10km:

1. Edith Chelimo (33:26:09)

2. Jane Jelagat (33:32:42)

3. Pascaliah Jepkorir (33:57:65)

4. Valery Chemeli (34:17:33)

5. Lucy Cheruiyot (34:23:42)

6. Rose Cheruiyot 34:23:42)

7. Vivian Kiplagat (34:30:47)

8. Hellen Kipkurgat (34:33:20)

9. Stellah Jeng’etich (34:51:30)

10. Gladys Jebiwott (35:07:43).

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