Birthday girl Peres leads Kenyan sweep in half marathon
From left: Kenya's bronze medalist Catherine Reline, gold medalist Peres Jepchirchir, fifth placed Irene Kamais and silver medalist Margaret Chelimo, celebrate with the flag after women's half marathon race at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on October 1, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Jepchirchir, who celebrated her 30th birthday last Wednesday, officially corked the champagne bottle in celebration after romping home in one hour, 07 minutes and 25 seconds
- Chelimo, the 2019 world 5,000m silver medallist settled for silver in 1:07:26 as Reline took bronze in 1:07:34
- Jepchirchir made history as the fourth athlete to complete a hat-trick after legendary Tegla Loroupe of Kenya, Kenyan born Lorna Kiplagat of the Netherlands and Briton Paula Radcliffe
In Riga, Latvia
Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir unleashed a super kick in the last 50 metres to seal a hat-trick of world half marathons titles during the World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on Sunday.
Jepchirchir, who celebrated her 30th birthday last Wednesday, officially corked the champagne bottle in celebration after romping home in one hour, 07 minutes and 25 seconds.
The victory that followed her previous wins 2016 and 2020 saw Jepchirchir lead compatriot Margaret Chelimo and youngster Catherine Reline to a sweep of the podium places.
It was a battle of four Kenyans, three Ethiopians Tsigie Gebreselama, Ftaw Zeray and Yalemget Yaregal and two Britons Calli Thackery and Clara Evans when they hit the 10km mark. Reline led them through in 32:19.
But Yaregal would wilt with Reline taking the pack through 15km in 48:33 as the Britons dropped behind the pack. Then Jepchirchir injected pace into the race to drag along her compatriots taking along Gebreselama.
It was a thriller after the Kenyan trio dropped Ethiopia’s Gebreselama in the last kilometre.
Chelimo, the 2019 world 5,000m silver medallist settled for silver in 1:07:26 as Reline took bronze in 1:07:34.
Gebreselama came fourth in 1:07:50 while another Kenyan Irene Kamais finished fifth in 1:08:02.
Jepchirchir made history as the fourth athlete to complete a hat-trick after legendary Tegla Loroupe of Kenya, Kenyan born Lorna Kiplagat of the Netherlands and Briton Paula Radcliffe.
Collated results
1. Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) 1:07:25;
2. Margaret Chelimo (Kenya) 1:07:26;
3. Catherine Reline (Kenya) 1:07:34
4. Tsigie Gebreselama (Ethiopia) 1:07:50;
5. Irene Kamais (Kenya) 1:08:02
6. Ftaw Zeray (Ethiopia) 1:08:31
