Emily Jepkemoi and Victor Rotich Kipchirchir are the winners of this year’s edition of the Eldoret City Marathon held in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
Despite the chilly weather, Rotich crossed the finish line with an impressive time of 2:12:49, successfully defending his title for the third consecutive year and claiming the top spot in the men’s 42 KM race. In second place in the men’s race was Felix Kipsang, while Evans Kipruto clinched third place with times of 2:12:52 and 2:13:16, respectively.
In the women’s race, Emily Jepkemoi from West Pokot, who finished fourth in the last edition, overcame tough competition to emerge as the winner, with a time of 2:30:13. Martha Akeno claimed second place with a time of 2:31:52, just one minute behind Jepkemoi, while Joan Jepkosgei secured the third position with a time of 2:34:15.
Both Rotich and Jepkemoi pocketed Ksh 3.5 million in cash, while the first runners-up, Felix Kipsang and Martha Akeno, took home Ksh 1.5 million each. The second runners-up, Evans Kipruto and Joan Jepkosgei, each walked away with Ksh 1 million. In addition to the cash prizes, all the top 20 winners in both men and women categories received Neon Ultra phones and airtime courtesy of Safaricom.
An excited Rotich expressed his happiness at the finish line saying, “I am thrilled to have defended my title for the third year in a row. It is not easy, but with God’s grace, good preparation, and training, I am glad I have managed. Although I started slowly, I gradually picked up the pace and eventually took the lead. This race holds immense value for me, as it has transformed my life in a bigger way. Winning on home ground fills me with pride. I want to express my gratitude to Mr. Moses Tanui, the founder of this marathon, and to sponsors like Safaricom for their contributions to its success.”
“I thank God and my coach for today’s victory. Last edition, I finished in fourth position, and today I am delighted to have emerged as the winner. This is a huge blessing for me and my family, as I will use the money to uplift my family back in West Pokot,” said an elated Emily Jepkemoi after the race.
In the 10km race, Festus Kipkemoi emerged the winner after clocking 32:16.2. Benson Chondi from Kakamega finished second, with Ethiopian Abderezak Alewo settling for the third position in 33:53.4 and 36:44.4 respectively.
The fifth edition of the Eldoret City Marathon received Ksh 4.3 million sponsorship from Safaricom. The annual marathon event is the brainchild of two-time Boston marathon champion Moses Tanui, and aims to provide a platform for upcoming, talented athletes and to help shine a spotlight on conservation of the environment.
This year, the event attracted a larger entrance, with 800 participants from Kenya and beyond the borders.