Kenyan legion ready to raid Prague streets

IN PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

Kenya's world road running record holders Patrick Komon and Peres Jepchirchir may have pulled out of Saturday's Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon, but the race still promises lots of fireworks.

In its 19th edition now, this race, run annually on the streets of the Czech capital, is the first event of the ‘RunCzech Running League’ and has drawn scores of Kenyan stars.

The ‘RunCzech Running League’ features seven races around five cities of the Czech Republic.

Prague mayor Andriana Krnacova will start off Saturday's half marathon from the Jan Palach Square with the beautiful course cutting through the heart of the historical Prague city, across five bridges.

Talking of beauty, Kenya's Lucy Cheruiyot stands out here with her hair braided in Kenyan flag colours, perhaps signaling her intention of doing Kenya proud in Saturday's race.

She arrived in Prague Friday morning along with just over a dozen other Kenyan runners, the main focus also being on Prague course record-holder Violah Jepchumba (65:51).

She leads eight sub-one hour, 10 minutes runners among them Cheruiyot (1:08:17), and RunCzech Team's rising star Joyciline Jepkosgei who ran 1:06:08 at last month's RAK Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates where Peres Jepchirchir shattered the world half marathon record, clocking an amazing 1:05:06 to eclipse compatriot Florence Kiplagat's former world best.

Jepchirchir was forced out of Saturday's race with illness.

ALMOST QUIT

Gladys Chesir (personal best 1:06:57), Viola Jelagat (PB 1:09:27), Valary Jemei Aiyabei (PB 1:09:33), Sarah Jebet (PB 1:11:28) and Stellah Barsosio (PB 1:12:18) are the other experienced Kenyan half-marathoners in action with Fancy Chemutai and Yvonne Jelagat making their international debut.

Jelagat, second in the Kass Marathon's 12km race last year, was, ironically, about to give up running.

"Last year, I was about to quit training because my life was tough. But now, I have support from RunCzech Racing Team, Adidas and Ikaika Sports and I'm grateful and looking forward to running the Prague Half Marathon," she said, paying tribute to the RunCzech outfit that has been nurturing young Kenyan runners.

Kenya's challengers in the women's race will include the USA pair of Jordan Hasay (1:08:40) and Meagan Krifchin (1:09:51).

It is not clear why Komon, double world record-holder on the road (10km and 15km), pulled out of Saturday's race, but after captaining Team Kenya to overall victory at last weekend's IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, one would assume fatigue crept in.

This leaves Barselius Kipyego (59:15) as the fastest in a strong field that also has Geoffrey Yegon (59:44), Vincent Yator (59:55) and Ethiopia's Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist Tamirat Tola (1:00:06), although Tola's running here was yet to be confirmed by Thursday.