Sports

Kenyans win men’s and women’s half marathon at Medellin

by Adriaan Alsema September 15, 2008

Men:

  1. Julius Kipyego, Kenya, 1:02.34 (record)
  2. Kimutai Kiplimo, Kenya 1:03.53
  3. Diego Colorado, Colombia, 1:04.46
  4. William Naranjo, Colombia, 1:05.27
  5. Joseph Kahugu, Tanzania, 1:05.39

Women:

  1. Ogla Kimayo, Kenya 1:13.56
  2. Emily Chepkemoi, Kenya 1:14.28
  3. Yolanda Fernández, Colombia, 1:18.22
  4. Genoveva Jelagat, Kenya, 1:19.01
  5. Jemena Misayauri, Peru, 1:20.03

Kenyan athlete Julius Kypiego won on Sunday the men’s Half Marathon of
Medellin and set a record of one hour, two minutes and 34 seconds.

Meanwhile, Kenyan Ogla Kimayo won the first place on women’s Half Marathon of Medellin.

“It is a race where the audience is a very important incentive and the athletes feel welcomed,” Kipyego said about this race where around 16,000 athletes competed in different categories.

Kypiego said that he trained for the race and was always sure of wining it, despite of the number of candidates to win it.

Kipyego broke for 19 seconds the mark of Colombian Juan Carlos Gutierrez who won the race in 1997 with a time of 1:02.53,1.

Defending champion Kimutai Kiplimo of Kenya finished second with a time of 1:03.53.

The best Colombian competitor was Diego Colorado who arrived in third place.

In women’s race Kenyan Emily Chepkemoi arrived in second place with 1:14.28

Colombian Yolanda Fernandez won the third place with a time of 1:18.22.

“To run in Medellin is something very important and to win again is something even more important. Here run all the high level athletes, but I always run trying to win,” Kimayo said.