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Other Kenyans in the women's race were Evaline Chirchir and Agnes Ngolo who settled for fifth and seventh places in respective times of 1:07:15 and 1:08:03.
World 10,000m silver medallist Hellen Obiri and Benard Kibet are the winners of the 2023 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Saturday February 18.
Obiri, a two-time world 5000m champion, kicked-off her season with a spectacular performance which saw her clinch the title in 1:05:05. She improved on her second-place finish last year. She edged out the world marathon champion, Gotytom Gebreslase who finished in second place at a time of 1:05:51.
Also running a well-worked race was Ethiopia’s Ftaw Zeray who finished third in a personal best time of 1:06:04, half a minute ahead of world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei who clocked 1:06:34.
Obiri started to make a move and was 25 seconds ahead at 15km, following her pacemaker through that mark in 45:39. Her lead continued to grow and she eventually crossed the finish line 44 seconds clear of Gebreslase.
Obiri and Gebreslase were part of a pack that passed through 5km in 15:10. By 10km they had broken away from their competition, clocking 30:28 at that point, just ahead of Kosgei (30:31).
Meanwhile, the men’s race was closer, but Kibet still claimed a clear win in 58:45 as he kicked away to beat compatriot Daniel Mateiko by four seconds (58:49).
Kibet and Mateiko were in the lead group that passed the 10km mark in 27:33. Breaking away along with their compatriot Richard Yator, the trio were together through 15km in 41:30 before Yator dropped off.
Kibet kicked and Mateiko could not match his rival’s finishing strength, as Kibet took more than a minute off his personal best time with his winning performance.
Yator followed them over the finish line in 59:37, while Ethiopia’s Gemechu Dida finished fourth in 59:53.
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