By Phillip Orwa
The 2019 All Africa Games 5000m winner, Robert Kiprop, and Gladys Chepkurui are the 2025 Uasin Gishu Half Marathon champions.
Kiprop won the men’s Half Marathon race staged in Uasin Gishu, Eldoret, after clocking an impressive 1:00:00.06, finishing ahead of Peter Tuitoek and Titus Kiprotich, who timed 1:00:58 and 1:01:05 respectively.
Speaking after the race, Kiprop said: “I was in good shape, and I am happy to have won the race today. I decided to go all the way with 2 KM left after sticking with the leading pack for the better part of the race. It is good that we are having more of such races to help us stay in top form.”
On her part, Chepkurui timed 1:08:56 to cut the tape first as Vivian Cherotich and Christine Ndambi finished second and third after clocking 1:10:02 and 1:10:27 respectively.
Chepkurui said: “I am happy to have won, although my body was not in its best form. In the previous editions, I have always been going all out at the start but fading towards the end, but today, I just decided to stick with the leading group, then kicked hard towards the end.”
It was an improved performance by both Kiprop and Chepkurui from last year’s edition of the race, where they finished 10th and third respectively. Joshua Kithuku, who won the men’s race last year, settled for fifth place.
They both bagged Sh300,000 each, while the first runners-up received Sh200,000 for their efforts. Third-place finishers went home Sh100,000 richer, while fourth, fifth, and sixth-place finishers got Sh50,000, Sh40,000, and Sh30,000 in that order. Also, participants who finished seventh through to tenth in both categories were awarded Sh20,000 each.
In the Masters category, one for athletes aged 50 years and above for both men and women, Francis Bowen and Joyce Kirui emerged victorious in the men’s and women’s race respectively, to receive Sh30,000 each.
Speaking after the race, Betika Head of Brand Eric Mwiti said: “Congratulations to both Robert and Gladys for winning the race, and to every athlete who came out to compete. Today’s turnout was good, and we look forward to seeing these athletes at the BingwaFest Season 2 opener in Nakuru next weekend. At Betika, our commitment to athletics remains strong as ever to ensure we play a part in growing the sport.”
This was the third edition of the Betika Uasin Gishu Marathon.
