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Ng'etich, Kamais win Uhuru Classic Half Marathon titles

Vincent Ng'etich wins the men's 21km race

Vincent Ng'etich wins the men's 21km race during Uhuru Classic Nairobi City Marathon at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on May 8, 2022.

Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Ng'etich, who also claimed the men's half marathon on debut during the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon last year, broke away from the pack with three kilometres to go to win in 1 hour and 44 seconds
  • Kenya Prisons Service 10,000m champion Charles Mneria edged out Geoffrey Kipyegon in a photo-finish to settle second with both athletes returning times of 1:00:48
  • Kamais, who finished third at the Berlin Half Marathon in March, led from start to finish, sweeping the Nairobi Expressway in 1:09:15


Madrid Half Marathon champion Vincent Ng'etich and Irene Kamais on Sunday won the men and women’s half marathon races at the inaugural Uhuru Classic Nairobi City Marathon.

Ng'etich, who also claimed the men's half marathon on debut during the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon last year, broke away from the pack with three kilometres to go to win in 1 hour and 44 seconds.

Kenya Prisons Service 10,000m champion Charles Mneria edged out Geoffrey Kipyegon in a photo-finish to settle second with both athletes returning times of 1:00:48.

“The morning weather was just fine and it was a good experience to run on the Nairobi Expressway,” said Ng'etich, who had the previous weekend finished fourth at Malaga Half Marathon.

“We stayed in the pack for a long time and I decided to push at the 17km mark. I looked stronger than my rivals, who failed to respond,” said Ng'etich, the 2018 Africa Cross Country sixth place finisher.

Irene Kamais wins the women's 21km race

Irene Kamais wins the women's 21km race during Uhuru Classic Nairobi City Marathon at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on May 8, 2022.

Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group

Kamais, who finished third at the Berlin Half Marathon in March, led from start to finish, sweeping the Nairobi Expressway in 1:09:15.

Sophy Jepchirchir finished second 1:10:00 as the 2013 World Cross Country champion Emily Chebet came in third in 1:10:21.

“The race was fine and the good weather made things easy for me. I thought it would be challenging but the Expressway was flat. It was a fast course,” said Kamais.