Kenyans keep winning ways on the road

Kenyans continued to dominate global road and cross country running at the weekend with Jason Lokwatom winning the Pisa Marathon in Italy with a time of two hours, 19 minutes and 45 seconds.

The top woman Claudia Dardini clocked 2:43:11.

In Issy Les Moulineaux, France, Kenyan Isaac Mwangi won the traditional 10-kilometre pre-Christmas race with a time of 29:37 at 10 km with compatriot Geoffrey Kenesi second in 29:59 and Justus Moranga third in 30:09 completing the Kenyan podium.

Top European

The leading woman was Russian Oksana Semyonova in 35:48.

In Zurich, Kenyan Patrick Ereng won the 36th Zurich Silvesterlauf 8.8-kilometre race in 24:58. Second was Swiss-based Eritrean Abraham Tadesse (25:01) with another Kenyan, Jacob Kendagor, third in 25:13.

The top European in the race was the Swiss Marathon star Viktor Rothlin at fifth in 25:33.

In the women’s 6.3km race, there was another Kenyan win for Cynthia Kosgei (20:38) who beat compatriot Caroline Chepkwony (20:40) and Sudanese Durka Frey (20:53) to second and third place.

In Sao Paulo, Brazil, at the 46th Sargenot Gonzaguinha road race over 15km, Ethiopian Belete Terefe clocked 45:33 to win the men’s division and Kenyan Edna Mukhwana took the women’s race in 55:03.

Taipei Marathon

Kenyan runners, meanwhile, swept the titles in both men’s and women’s categories in the Fubon Taipei Marathon on Sunday.

Josphat Kamzee Jekopol dashed to the line in two hours, 15 minutes and 27 seconds, but he failed to break the Tapei Marathon record 2:10:24 set by Yemane Adhane of Ethiopia last year.

Jekopol was followed by compatriots Boniface Mbuvi Muema who clocked in 2:15:29 and Francis Kipkoech Bowen with 2:15:34.

Fellow Kenyan Caroline Cheptonui Kilel won the women’s title in 2:30:19, while Helena Loshanyang Kirop and Emily Chepkemoi Samoei, both of them also from Kenya, came in second and third respectively.

Both Jekopol and Kilel took home a cash prize of Tw$1.2 million ($41,300).