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Debutant Irine Cheptai has predicted the times she would want to run in her next race following her triumph over Ethiopia's long-distance running ace and former world champion.
After making a successful marathon debut at the Haspa Marathon, Irine Cheptai has predicted the time she wants to run in her next marathons.
The little-known long-distance runner went into Sunday’s race as an underdog but stunned the whole world and tons of fans by beating Gotytom Gebreslase, the 2022 World Marathon champion, and taking the top prize in the race.
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12:55 - 16.02.2024
ATHLETICS Irine Cheptai to make full marathon debut at the 2024 Haspa Marathon
The 2017 World Cross-country champion Irine Cheptai will make her full marathon debut at the 38th edition of the Haspa Marathon in Hamburg.
The Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medallist stopped the clock at 2:18:22 after fighting hard from the gun to the tape. Another Kenyan, Winfridah Moseti, finished second in 2:1824 as Ethiopian star Gebreslase completed the podium in 2:21:18.
Cheptai is not resting on her laurels as she now seeks to lower her Personal Best time. As quoted by Watch Athletics, after the race, she said: “I never expected to win the race; I hoped to finish second or third. Perhaps I can run between 2:14 and 2:15 in my next marathon. I would like to return to Hamburg next year.”
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Meanwhile, the men’s race was won by defending champion Bernard Koech who cut the tape in 2:04:24, the eighth fastest time in the world this year. Ethiopia's Haymanot Alew finished in second place with 2:05:30, while Kenya's Philemon Kiplimo finished third in 2:05:37.
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10:40 - 25.04.2024
Bernard Koech hoping to retain Haspa Marathon title & pocket millions of prize money set aside
Defending champion Bernard Koech has plans to successfully defend his title and walk away with the millions set aside as prize money for the top finishers.
Despite missing his course record, Koech wrote history by becoming he became the first man to defend his title in Hamburg since Spain's Julio Rey in 2006. After the race, Koech said: “I had a tough section, but that's part of sports. I might come back again next year.”
Meanwhile, Chief Organiser Frank Thaleiser was also elated to have hosted a successful edition of the race once again and said: “It was a superb race with some of the fastest times ever in Hamburg. However, conditions became challenging when the temperature unexpectedly rose during the race.”
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