Big field for First Lady’s Half Marathon

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta training at Safaricom Kasarani Stadium last month. She will flag off the First Lady Half Marathon at Nyayo National Stadium at 7am on March 6, 2016. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

By  Ayumba Ayodi

Reporter

NMG Sport

What you need to know:

  • Kosgey, Rono put titles on the line
  • First Lady Margaret Kenyatta will flag off the 21km men’s and women’s races at 7am and then take to the course in the 10km race at 8am.
  • There is an increase in the number of participants from last year’s 30,000.
  • The busy Uhuru Highway and Mombasa Road will be closed from 3am to 1pm.

More than 40,000 participants are set for the third edition of the First Lady’s Half Marathon that will start and end at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta will flag off the 21km men’s and women’s races at 7am and then take to the course in the 10km race at 8am.

Kenyatta competed in 21km race in the past two editions but has opted for the shorter race, having not prepared well.

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The wheelchair race begins at 6.30am. The 5km and 2km races will get underway at 8.30am and 9am, respectively.

The professional wheelchair race is featuring for the first time in the Half Marathon aimed at raising funds for the “Beyond Zero” campaign. It is a project that aims to raise to money to increase access to better healthcare.

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There is an increase in the number of participants from last year’s 30,000.

The busy Uhuru Highway and Mombasa Road will be closed from 3am to 1pm.

Organisers target to raise Sh105 million from registration. Last year, more that Sh240 million was realised. During the inaugural Half Marathon in 2014 held at Uhuru Gardens, more than Sh200 million was collected.

The year’s championship got a major boost when both the men’s and women’s 21km defending champions Moses Kosgey and Georgina Rono returned to defend their titles.

Rono, who won the 2011 Eindhoven Marathon before finishing third at the 2012 Boston Marathon, confirmed her entry yesterday, a day after Kosgey had signed for the race.

During the 2012 Boston Marathon, Rono ensured a Kenya podium sweep, winning bronze (2hrs33:09mins) behind Sharon Cherop and Jemima Sumgong.

In last year’s First Lady’s Half Marathon, she defeated the 2013 Venezia Marathon champion Mercy Kibarus and 2010/2013 Frankfurt Marathon champion Caroline Kilel.

Rono clocked 1:04:03 followed by Kibaru 1:08:13 and Kilel, who is also the 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist in 1:08:20.

“Rono’s entry is great for the race. The turnout is impressive and we should get more elite athletes from the Rift Valley,” said the local organising committee chairman Barnabas Korir.

KEMBOI IN ACTION

Olympics and World 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi will open his season in the 10km race.

Cynthia Chelagat, who won the 10km women’s race at the inaugural 2014 race, is back to reclaim her crown in the race that has attracted Agnes Chesang, the World Military Games 3,000m silver medallist.

There are slight changes to the route. After the gun off at Nyayo Stadium, the contestants will hit Uhuru Highway against the traffic all the way to Kenyatta roundabout before turning left towards Serena Hotel.

Last year, the competitors made a left turn at Haile Sellasie roundabout towards Railway Golf Club entrance before turning right to join the Cathedral Way on to Ngong Road.

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