Tag Archives: Agnes Tirop

Athletics

Agnes Tirop World 10km record ratified

Women’s world 5km record (women only)
14:29 Senbere Teferi (ETH) Herzogenaurach 12 September 2021

Women’s world 10km record (women only)
30:01 Agnes Tirop (KEN) Herzogenaurach 12 September 2021

World records of 30:01 by the late Agnes Tirop over 10km and 14:29 by Senbere Teferi over 5km set last year in Herzogenaurach have been ratified.

Tirop, who died in tragic circumstances just one month later, broke away in the final two kilometres of the race and went on to smash the women-only world record, taking 28 seconds off the mark that had been set by Morocco’s Asmae Leghzaoui in New York on 8 June 2002.

Tirop was part of a five-woman lead pack during the early stages and passed through 4km in 12:07. A couple of minutes later, Tirop and fellow Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui had broken away from the rest of their opponents, reaching the half-way point in 15:00 after coving the fifth kilometre in a swift 2:54.

Chepkirui then moved in front of her compatriot and tried to force the pace but was unsuccessful in making a break. The duo continued to run side by side for the best part of three kilometres, but world 10,000m bronze medallist Tirop started her long run for home with about six minutes to go.

Tirop, who won the senior world cross-country title as a teenager back in 2015, passed through 9km in 27:07 with a comfortable lead and was still comfortably inside world record pace. She didn’t ease back for the final kilometre, though, and covered it in another 2:54 to reach the finish line in 30:01.

“I’m so happy to have broken the world record,” said Tirop. “I felt the pace was good and Sheila assisted me a lot. The course was very good too.”

Tirop went on to compete over 10km in Geneva in early October 2021. It was to be her last ever race; she was stabbed to death in her home just 10 days later.

Following Tirop’s tragic death, the World Athletics Cross Country Tour event in Eldoret was named in her memory. A foundation against domestic violence has also been established in her honour.

Just moments after the 10km race in Herzogenaurach, 2015 world 5000m silver medallist Teferi ran away from her opponents after the first kilometre with an incredible solo effort, winning the 5km by 25 seconds in 14:29.

The Ethiopian ran with the pack for the first kilometre, covered just inside three minutes. Then, sensing that the pace wasn’t quite fast enough to challenge the world record, set off on her own and covered the second kilometre in 2:49.

By 3km, which she reached in about 8:43, Teferi had an eight-second lead over the chase pack. She continued to forge ahead, passing 4km in 12:07 and then ended with a 2:52 final kilometre to cross the finish line in 14:29, breaking the women-only world record of 14:44 set by Sifan Hassan in Monaco on 17 February 2019.

“I’m so happy,” said Teferi. “After the Olympics, I knew I was ready to go after this world record.”

Athletics

Irene Cheptai smashes World 10K Bengaluru course record

The 2017 world cross country champion, Irene Cheptai smashed the race course record at the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) World 10K Bengaluru that was held on SUnday (15) in Bengaluru, India

The race unfolded in a very different fashion as Cheptai took on the race favorite, double World 5000m champion, Hellen Obiri and the reigning Agnes Tirop Cross Country champion, Joyce Chepkemoi Tele.

The race was a super-fast opening as Cheptai, Obiri and Joyce Tele went through the first 2km in 3:04.

Tele pulled away from the two at the 5km mark before Obriri, pushing the pace with Cheptai running in her slipstream as they passed the halfway point in 15:15.

Obiri took charge of the race for the next two kilometres, going through 6km in 18:23 and 7km in 21:32, before Cheptai took her turn to push at the front for a kilometre as Obiri briefly went through a bad patch. Obiri and Cheptai went for an enthralling head-to-head battle but with just 250m to go, Cheptai increased her pace leaving Obiri gasping for air as she surged ahead to erase the old course record of 31:19 that was set by the late Agnes Tirop in 2018, with a new course record and personal best of 30:35.

“When we raced through the 7km mark, I felt like Hellen’s pace had reduced, that’s when I tried harder to take lead. But even when I entered the stadium for the final lap, I was afraid of Hellen and I kept pushing my speed until I cut the tape,” said Cheptai.

Obiri came home in second place in a time of 30:44, also inside the old course record with Tele finished a distant third in 31:47 to complete an all-Kenyan podium finish.

Cheptai took home first place cheque of USD 26,000 for her victory and course record bonuses of USD 8000.

LEADING RESULTS

10KM WOMEN

  1. Irene Cheptai    (KEN) 30:35
  2. HEllen Obiri     (KEN) 30:44
  3. Joyce Tele          (KEN) 31:47
Athletics

Hellen Obiri makes her debut In India

Double World 5000m champion, Hellen Obiri will be the star highlight at the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) World 10K Bengaluru that will be held on May 15, 2022 in Bengaluru, India.

The 31 year-old will be making her Indian racing debut next month with her eyes set on the course record of 31:19 that was set by the late Agnes Tirop in 2018. Tirop became the first woman athlete to defend her title at World 10K Bengaluru in 2019.

The two time Olympic silver medallist will face off with the reigning Agnes Tirop Cross Country champion, Joyce Chepkemoi Tele. This was a memorial race in honour of the late Tirop, after her tragic death in October 2021 which brought the world to a standstill. Tele comes to this race with a life time best of 31:38 that she got in 2019 at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja where she finished in seventh place. The 26 year-old also a personal best of 1:05.50 that she got at the Berlin Half Marathon earlier this month, where she took the silver medal.

Another title contender is the 2017 world cross country champion, Irene Cheptai, who also took the honors at the 2017 TCS World 10K. Cheptai has been in good shape recently with two strong second-place finishes at New York and Prague half marathons in the last six weeks.

The race organisers, Procam International have pulled out the stops to bring the very best athletes in the world to India’s technology capital after a three-year hiatus enforced by the pandemic, with the last edition of the World Athletics Elite Label Race taking place in 2019.

The TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2022 has a total prize money of US$210,000, with the winner taking home a cool US$26,000.

“It’s a true pleasure to be able to bring some of the world’s leading distance running stars to Bengaluru. The pandemic has meant this race has not happened since 2019 but we were always determined that, when conditions allowed, we would once again stage world-class races for elite runners and amateurs,” said Vivek Singh, joint managing director of race promoters Procam International. “Our commitment to getting India running again and helping people pursue a healthy lifestyle has never wavered and now we are back with a bang in Bengaluru,” he concluded.

Athletics

World 10K Bengaluru Race is BACK

After two years of postponement of the World 10K Bengaluru due to COVID-19, the race organisers on Thursday announced its return and it will be held on May 15, 2022 in Bengaluru, India.

The event will be conducted in two formats: one will be physical and the other one via app-based run.

The open 10K category will have some of the world’s elite athletes, Majja Run (5km), Senior Citizen Run (4.2km) and Champions with Disability (4.2km) will see the participation of amateur runners from across the country.

The virtual app-based run will be held via the specialized event app for two race categories – Open 10K and 5K.

Registrations for the World 10K Bengaluru 2022 begin on March 25 and close on May 11.

The last edition, which was held in 2019, saw the late Agnes Tirop of Kenya become the first women’s athlete to defend her title at World 10K Bengaluru. Ethiopia’s Andamlak Belihu took his first win in the men’s race.

The women course record of 31:19 was set by Tirop in 2019 while the Men’s record of 27:44 that was set in 2014 is held Geoffrey Kipsang.

Athletics

Ndereba Hands Over Report on Gender Based Violence in Sports

The Ministry of Sports of Sports has received a report on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and discrimination in sports from a committee chaired by two times World marathon champion Catherine ‘The Great’ Ndereba.

The findings of the report handed over to the Sports Cabinet Secretary Dr Amina Mohammed on Thursday, January 13th, 2022 and will be released on January 17th, 2022 during the Agnes Tirop conference in Mombasa.

The ministry will release the findings in the conference for sports stakeholders from Kenya and abroad scheduled for January 17th-21st where members will converge and discuss the priority issues of inclusivity, welfare and dignity in sports with the keen interest of finding sustainable solutions.

The conference is being held in memory of Tirop, who represented Kenya in the Olympic games for long-distance running, who was found stabbed to death in her home on October 14th, 2021. Her husband Ibrahim Rotich a prime suspect in the murder has since been arrested and charged for the killing.

Her death has highlighted incidents of violence against women in the East African country.

Her killing, just days after her last race in Switzerland, was a shock that energized a conversation in Kenya over how to combat violence against women, a longstanding problem.

On July 10th, 2021, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed constituted a nine-member ministerial committee on gender welfare in sports.

The committee was chaired by former two-time marathon world champion Catherine Ndereba and deputised by Sports Registrar Rose Wasike.

Also included in the committee was forensic medical expert Dr Kizzie Shako, Ms Hibbo Hussein, volleyball coach Catherine Mabwi and Linda Ndiwa while the male representation was Secretary General of Kenya Archery Association  professor Paul Ochieng, World Athletics Africa Regional Development Centre (RDC) Director Ibrahim Hussein and State House Director of Brand Strategy and Events Thomas Kwaka aka Big Ted.

The CS made the decision after growing concerns over the treatment of women in sports especially among athletes themselves with the basketball fraternity having come out this week with women players complaining of mistreatment as well as sexual harassment.

The three-day conference named “The Agnes Tirop Conference’’, will run under the theme  Levelling the Playing Field, Gender Inclusivity in Sports and will include plenary sessions and panel discussions on key thematic areas such as legal, policy, and institutional framework, women in leadership and sports, mental health, sports as a tool for ending discrimination, resource mobilisation and the role of key sector players (including educationists and the media) in mitigating GBV.

Athletics

Beatrice Chebet to battle Dawit Seyaum at Campaccio

The 2018 World U20 5000m champion, Beatrice Chebet will battle for honors with Ethiopia’s 1500m specialist Dawit Seyaum at the 65th edition of Campaccio in San Giorgio su Legnano that will be held today (Thursday 6).

The 2019 World U20 Cross Country champion will target to win her first World Cross Country Tour Gold race of the season after finishing second in Atapuerca in November last year and third at the Cross Italica in Seville.

The 21 year-old will have to pass through fire as she will clash with Seyaum who is in her best shape ever after setting the fastest time in 5k history of 14:39 in Lille last year.

Chebet will face –off once again with Eritrea’s Rahel Ghebreyohannes Daniel, who beat her by one second at Cross Internacional de Atapuerca.

Last year she beat a high-quality field to win the 3000m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Doha in 8:27.49.

Kip Keino Classic silver medallist in 5000m, Eva Cherono and Lucy Mawia Muli,the winner of Cross Internacional de Soria have also be added on the startlist as well as Ethiopia’s Belayneh Pantaye, who clocked 14:44.51 for 5000m last year.

European U23 Cross Country champion Nadia Battocletti from Italy will carry the hopes of her country after a finishing seventh at the Tokyo Games in the 5000m finals in 14:46.29 which was two seconds shy of the Italian record.

The 21 year-old finished third last week at the Boclassic 5km race behind Seyaum and Kenyan born turned Kazakhstan international, Norah Jeruto.

Slovenia’s Klara Lukan, Poland’s European U23 steeplechase silver medallist Kinga Krolik, Italy’s European U23 10,000m silver medallist Anna Arnaudo and Giovanna Selva will also be on the start line to battle for honors.

This year’s edition of the famous Italian race will honor the memory of 1973 world cross-country champion Paola Pigni, who died last June, and Agnes Tirop, who finished third in 2017 and second in 2018 in San Giorgio su Legnano.

Athletics

Athletics Kenya: Give us athletes names on time

Athletics Kenya regions and affiliates have been given timeline to submit their list of athletes on time ahead of AK National Cross Country Championships that will be held in Eldoret on January 22,2022.

Athletics Kenya’s director of Competition Paul Mutwii said that the list should be submitted January 17 ahead of national championships that will be held at Kapseret in Eldoret.

Some of the regional cross country events that will be held fortnight include trials for the disciplined forces, regionals as well as universities.

Mutwii said the national event, which will be a dry run for the World Cross Country Tour, will go a long way in unearthing any mishaps that may occur on February 12.

The race was renamed Agnes Jebet Tirop Memorial Cross Country to commemorate the late former world cross country champion Agnes Tirop who was murdered in her house in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County in October last year.

Athletics

Agnes Tirop killer husband to stay longer in remand

Agnes Jebet Tirop murder suspect Ibrahim Rotich will remain in remand for another three months, waiting for his bail application.

Rotich who was the husband of the late Tirop, remains the prime suspect in the bloody killing of the two time world 10,000m bronze medalist in October 2021 at their home in Iten.

The Eldoret Court adjourned the case to March 9, 2022 due to the absence of presiding judge, Justice Reuben Nyakundi, who was is away on official duties.

The court will also issue a hearing date for the main case on the same date.

The same court on December 3, directed the probation team to work on the pre-bail report to help in ruling whether murder Rotich could be released on bond

Athletics

Agnes Tirop’s husband pleads not Guilty

The prime suspect in the murder case of Agnes Tirop death, Ibrahim Rotich has today (16) pleaded not guilty at the Eldoret High Court where the case was transfered from Iten Law Courts.

Tirop’s body was found on October 13 with stab wounds in the bedroom in Iten.

She was born to a peasant farming; Tirop launched her athletics career less than a decade ago but swiftly ran up a host of second-place finishes in national and international cross country races.

She went on to become one of Kenya’s rising stars — as the 2015 world cross-country champion, a two-time world medallist over 10000m, and came forth over 5000m at the Tokyo Olympics this year.

more to follow…

Athletics

CCTV captures Agnes Tirop husband at murder scene

The prime suspect in the murder case of Agnes Tirop, Ibrahim Rotich might have a case to answer in the ongoing murder case after the CCTV footage placed him at the murder scene.

Tirop was found dead in her house at the free-area in Iten, Egeyo Marakwet County on Wednesday 13, 2021.

The proceeding of the case by the Senior Principal Magistrate Charles Kutwa who is presiding over the matter at the Iten Law Courts is ongoing.

According to Nation.co.ke, Keiyo North sub county DCIO Andolo Munga on Tuesday said that the CCTV footage also revealed the athlete was killed on Tuesday (October 12, 2021) afternoon.

“The CCTV footage is self-explanatory and positive after forensic analysis. It has all the evidence of the scene and the actual act. We believe we have an airtight case and we are good to go with the prosecution,” said the detective.

“The CCTV footage has become very crucial in this matter and it has shown us exactly what happened and how it was conducted. The investigation is on reverse and forward aspects.”

The two suspects who had been arrested together with Rotich were released and they are now state witness.

Tirop’s body was found on October 13 with stab wounds in the bedroom in Iten.

She was born to a peasant farming family, Tirop launched her athletics career less than a decade ago but swiftly ran up a host of second-place finishes in national and international cross country races.

She went on to become one of Kenya’s rising stars — as the 2015 world cross-country champion, a two-time world medallist over 10000m, and came fourth over 5000m at the Tokyo Olympics this year.