In Riga, Latvia
The Kenyan national anthem reverberated five times on Sunday on the shores of the scenic Daugava River that snakes through Latvian capital Riga and bowels into the Baltic Sea.
This was to celebrate Kenyan victories in the men’s and women’s half marathon races alongside the women’s five-kilometre triumph and two team titles in the men’s and women’s half marathons at the inaugural World Athletics Road running Championships in Riga.
World Athletics President, Briton Seb Coe, and his Kenyan deputy Jackson Tuwei chatted heartily on the sidelines of the medals podium with the global athletics governing body’s CEO Jon Ridgeon also sharing in the pleasantries.
It was the culmination of an immensely successful inaugural edition of the world’s biggest road running festival that will now become an annual ritual from 2025 when it moves to San Diego, USA, with the Danish city of Copenhagen the designated 2026 hosts.
Kenya’s multiple world and Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon (left) chats with World Athletics President Seb Coe before the medal presentation ceremony after winning bronze in the five-kilometre race at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on October 1, 2023.
Photo credit: Elias Makori | Nation Media Group
And some 1,900 kilometres away, Kenya-born Dutchwoman Lornah Kiplagat followed the proceedings on live television accompanied by neighbours and friends in the small city of Groet, near the cheese-loving city of Aalkmar.
“Simba”, as Kiplagat is famously known for her attacking running during her heyday, congratulated Kenya’s Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir for equalling her record of three, back-to-back world half marathon titles in Riga on Sunday.
Kiplagat conjured up her hat-trick in 2006, 2007 and 2008 to equal Briton Paula Radcliffe’s three titles (2000, 2001 and 2003).
Kenya’s Tecla Loroupe is the only other runner to have registered a back-to-back hat-trick which she achieved from 1997 to 1999.
“I’m very happy for her,” Kiplagat told Nation Sport on telephone.
“She has been consistent and humble and has now joined the hat-trick group, an achievement that has been waited for long. She should maintain the focus,” Kiplagat, also a former world cross country champion, said.
Jepchirchir won the gold medal in one hour, seven minutes and 25 seconds with compatriots Margaret Chelimo (1:07:30) and Catherine Reline (1:07:34) completing the podium places in the clean sweep that also saw them bag the team title.
Kenya's world cross country champion Beatrice Chebet ends the season on a high with victory in the women's five-kilometre race at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on October 1, 2023.
Photo credit: Pool | World Athletics
World cross country champion Beatrice Chebet and teammate Lilian Kasait had started Kenya’s gold rush in the day’s opening elite race – the five-kilometre run - completing a 1-2 finish with Chebet taking gold in 14 minutes and 35 seconds.
She immediately declared that she would get back to training to defend the world cross country title which won last February when the next global competition comes up in freshly-appointed Belgrade, Serbia, next March.
Kenya's Commonwealth Games 5,000 metres silver medalist Nicholas Kimeli then settled for bronze in the men's 5km race in which Ethiopia's Hagos Gebrhiwet beat compatriot Yomif Kejelcha in a sprint finish to win in 12 minutes and 59 seconds.
Kimeli timed at 13:15 with the second Kenyan in the race, Cornelius Kemboi, winding up fifth.
World Athletics Vice President and Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei (left) congratulates Nicholas Kimeli for his bronze medal in the five-kilometre race at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on October 1, 2023.
Photo credit: Elias Makori | Nation Media Group
But while world records fell in both the men’s and women’s mile races, Kenyan fans were somewhat subdued by Faith Kipyegon’s first defeat of the season in a race that saw Ethiopia’s 21-year-old rising star Diribe Welteji clock a new world record 4:20.98.
It was Kipyegon – competing in her final race of the season - who had taken the early charge but appeared uncomfortable, later complaining of a congested chest.
Silver medalist Freweyni Hailu (4:23.06) and bronze winner Kipyegon (4:24.13) both dipped inside the previous world record of 4:27.97 set by American Nikki Hiltz in Des Moines, Iowa, in April this year.
And then 20-year-old American Hobbs Kessler sprinted past the monument to clock a new men’s road mile world record of 3:56.13 with Britain’s Callum Elson and USA’s Sam Prakel settling for the minor medals.
American Hobbs Kessler breasts the tape to win the men's mile race in a world record time of three minutes, 56.13 seconds at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on October 1, 2023.
Photo credit: Pool | World Athletics
Kenyans Kyumbe Munguti (13th in 4:00.67) and Reynold Kipkorir (22nd in 4:05.91) had no answers despite both clocking personal best times.
The half marathons were a Kenyan preserve, two clean sweeps ending the year on a high for a Team Kenya that had launched the season in almost similar fashion at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia, in February.
Jepchirchir led the clean Kenyan sweep in the women’s race and immediately declared she will switch her focus on next month's New York City Marathon with no time to party.
The men’s half marathon was another Kenyan procession with Daniel Simiu Ebenyo pushing the pace before hurting and allowing Sebastian Sawe to head to the tape with compatriot Samuel Mailu locking Ethiopian challenger Jemal Mekonen out of the podium.
