Kenyan athletes rule the roost in long distance races

Kenya athletes dominated long distance races in South Korea, Germany and Italy respectively on Sunday.

James Kwambai and Caroline Kilel required sprint finishes to take victory at the Daegu Marathon. The Kenyans won in 2:10:46 and 2:27:39 respectively in the South Korean capital.

In Italy, Ernest Kiprono Ngeno and Brigid Kosgei scored another Kenyan double at Milan City Marathon. Ngeno crossed the finish line in 2:08:15, missing his personal best set in Hengshui in 2015 by 18 seconds. Last year’s winner Kenneth Mungara took third place in 2:08:38 improving his world masters over-40 record by four seconds with 2:08:38.

In second place was Kenya’s Ishmael Bushendich Chemtan in 2:08:20 as Kosgei produced the major surprise of the day in the women’s race, crossing the finish line first in 2:27:45. That saw Kosgei smash her previous personal best of 2:47:59, set in Porto last year, by 20 minutes.

In Germany, Kenya’s Richard Mengich made a resounding return to form at the Berlin Half Marathon to win by more than a minute in a personal best of 59:58.

Kenyan-born Elizeba Cherono, who has since switched nationality to the Netherlands, won the women’s race in 1:10:43, edging out Kenya’s Susan Jeptoo by seven seconds.

Victories by Kilel, the winner at the 2011 Boston Marathon and the Frankfurt Marathon in 2010 and 2013, and Kwambai ended Ethiopian men and women's two-year reign in Daegu.

They ran at the front throughout before dismissing their rivals with impressive turns of speed on the final run to the line.

Kilel, who is also the 2014 Commonwealth games marathon silver medallist, edged out Ines Melchor from Peru to second in 2:27:40 as Ethiopian Shewarge Alene settled third in 2:32:40.

SEALED LAST PODIUM PLACE

Kwambai, 31, the three-time Seoul Marathon champion between 2011 and 2013, edged out compatriot John Langat in 2:10:49 as Moroccan Abdellah Tagharrafet sealed the last podium place in 2:11:34.

It was Kwambai first victory – on his very first attempt – in Daegu.

Kwambai was able to sustain the quick pace better than his two opponents and began to open a gap on Langat and Tagharrafat. A 13-second lead at 35km had doubled to 26 seconds at 40km, but Kwambai then began to struggle in the closing stages.

Kilel, Melchor and Ethiopia’s Shewarge Alene were alone in front after 20km, which was reached in 1:10:02, and they went through half way in 1:13:52. Shewarge then began to fade slightly, leaving Kilel and Melchor to battle for victory.

"It was windy during the second half of the race, but I desperately wanted to break the one-hour mark," said Mengich, who then left behind Tesfay soon after 10km to win the Berlin Half Marathon.

Running on his own in the second half, Mengich managed to achieve his goal, but it was as close as it gets. The Kenyan won in 59:58, improving his best time by a single second.

"I suffered a stress fracture last June and was injured for a long time," he said. "This was my first race after the injury so I am very happy with my result."