Tag Archives: Marius Kimutai

Athletics

Marius Kimutai breaks the Barcelona Marathon course record

Kenyan-born Bahraini, Marius Kimutai smashed the course record at the 45th edition of the Barcelona Marathon, held on Sunday (19) in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

The 30 year-old who came to this race with a life time best of 2:05.47 which was the fastest time on paper, took on another Kenyan born now trading for Turkey Kaan Kigen Özbilen and Moroccan Othmane El Goumri as they went through the 30km in 1:29.18.

Kimutai remained in the lead group of five that included Moroccan Goumri, Eritrea’s Kibrom Ruesom and Kenya’s Joel Kimurer as they passed the 36km mark but things changed as they approached the 31k mark with Ozbilen taking charge of the race followed by Goumri as Kimutai played waited patiently behind the two for the right time to pounce.

Kimutai who had the knowledge of this course as he was here in 2016 where he finished in sixth, produced a well calculated kick to get past the two as he surged alone to erase the old course record of 2:05.53 that was set last year by Ethiopia’s Yihunilign Adane with a new course record time of 2:05.06, which is also his personal best.

El Goumri came home in second place with a new National Record time of 2:05.12 with Ozbilen closing the podium three finishes in 2:05.37. The top three runners all went under the old course.

Ruesom and Kimurer finished in fourth and fifth place in a time of 2:05.51 and 2:06.32 respectively.

LEADING RESULTS
42KM MEN

  1. Marius Kimutai           (BHN) 2:05:06
  2. Othmane El Goumri   (MOR) 2:05.12
  3. Ozbilen Kigen               (TUR) 2:05.37
  4. Kibrom Ruesom            (ERT) 2:05.51
  5. Joel Kimurer                  (KEN) 2:06.32
Athletics

Robert Kipkemboi breaks Istanbul Marathon course record

Kenya’s Robert Kipkemboi broke the race course record at the 44th edition of the Istanbul Marathon held on Sunday (06) in Istanbul, Turkey.

The 34 year-old who came to this race with a personal best of 2:07.09 that he got at the 2019 Seoul Marathon marathon where he finished in fourth place, gave a real fight from his Bahraini opponent Marius Kimutai who was a thorn in the flesh during the last six kilometre.

The contest took stage at the 37km mark as Kipkemboi broke away from the leading group with former Kenyan now Bahraini Kimutai to surge ahead as they jostle for the top honors but it was the Kenyan who managed to get out superior as he pulled away from his opponent at the final kilometre and never looked back as he widened the gap to cut the tape in a new course record time of 2:07.37 with Kimutai crossing the line in second eleven seconds later.

Sila Kiptoo also from Kenya closed the podium three finishes in a time of 2:11.02.

The race was dominated by Kenyans as the fourth and fifth place went to Hillary Kipchumba and Bernard Sang in 2:11:55 and 2:12:02.

Kipkemboi pocketed a cool Kshs 2.3 million ($20,000) .

 

Athletics

The rematch in Vienna, Leonard Langat Vs Derara Hurisa

Kenya’s Leonard Langat will be heading to defend his title at the 39th edition of the Vienna City Marathon that will be held on April 24, 2022 in Vienna, Austria.

Langat had finished in second place in a time of 2:09.25 but was reinstated to first position after Derara Hurisa was disqualified.

The 31 year-old had to cope with a major obstacle on his way to Vienna last year. He was in that group that also included Vienna’s women’s marathon winner Vibian Chepkirui who were flying via Doha from Nairobi and missed their connecting flight. The plane from Kenya had been delayed. They were stuck in Doha and the airline did not care. So they had to sleep on the floor.

There will be unprecedented depth in Vienna’s men’s elite field with five athletes featuring personal bests of sub 2:06. The elite line up is led by Mekuant Ayenew from Ethiopia who comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:04.46 that he got at the 2020 Zurich Maratón de Sevilla where he took the honors.

Ayenew is the second fastest runner ever entered into a Vienna City Marathon behind former world record holder Dennis Kimetto who had the world leading time of 2:02.57. Kimetto did not finish the 2018 race.

There will also be a rematch between Hurisa, who had crossed the line first last year but was then disqualified for inadvertently wearing an illegal racing shoe, and Langat was declared the winner.

Hurisa became the first athlete to be disqualified for wearing an illegal shoe in a major city marathon last September in Vienna. The Ethiopian had come to the race with a personal best of 2:08.09 and he cu the tape first in a time of 2:09.22. However it appeared that the shoes he wore had a sole thickness of five centimeters while a maximum of four is allowed

These runners bring high quality performances and often emotional stories to our race, “said Race Director Wolfgang Konrad. “We are very happy to welcome back both winners from last year to Vienna. And we keep our fingers crossed for Derara Hurisa, who will also return.

Eritrea’s Goitom Kifle comes to this race with a personal best of 2:05.28 that he got at the 2021 Maraton Valencia Trinidad Alfonso and Bahrain’s Marius Kimutai who comes to the race with 2:05.47 that he got at the 2016 Amsterdam Marathon where finished in bronze position.

The other sub 2:06 athletes include Oqbe Kibrom from Eritrea who also comes with third fastest time of 2:05.53 and Ethiopian Abdi Fufa of personal best of 2:05.57.

The race organisers have assembled this high quality of elite athletes to chase the race course record of 2:05.41 that was set in 2014 by Getu Feleke from Ethiopia.

LEADING TIME

42KM MEN

  1. Mekuant Ayenew   (ETH) 2:04.46
  2. Goitom Kifle           (ERI) 2:05.28
  3. Marius Kimutai      (BAH) 2:05.47
  4. Oqbe Kibrom          (ERI) 2:05.53
  5. Abdi Fufa                (ETH) 2:05.57
  6. Derara Hurisa        (ETH) 2:08.09
Athletics

Marius Kimutai, Mathew Kisorio Face Off In Valencia

Two times Rotterdam marathon champion Marius Kimutai and two time Africa Athletics champion Mathew Kisorio will face off in this year’s Valencia marathon to be staged on 2nd December in Spain.

 Speaking on Saturday after competing at the anti-Rabbis race, second edition of Rabbis Free Kenya 10km Road Run held on Saturday in Nandi County, the duo were optimistic they will be carrying the title back home.

Valencia marathon has been dominated by Kenyans and for the last eight years in a row, Kenyans have been winning the title with Sammy Kitwara holding the course record of 2:05.15 after winning the 2017 title.

The 2017 Amsterdam marathon champion, Kimutai won the race Kimutai in 27:02.02 ousting 2017 Daegu marathon champion Kisorio, who will be competing together in Valencia.

Boosting of his personal best in 42kk at 2:05.47 when he won the 2016 Amsterdam marathon, Kimutai said he competed in the race as part of training ahead of Valencia among other short races in the country.

“Today’s race was too competitive and never knew that I will win but winning was not in focus since I have set my focus to compete in Valencia. Today was my training,” said Kimutai.

Kimutai won the Rotterdam marathon in 2016 before defending his title in 2016 as Kenneth Kipkemoi won in 2017.

He added that the route has always been part of his training course daily and understand it better that was great for him to win.

Kisorio, who won the Africa 5,000m and 10,000m junior titles finished second timing 27:07.06 while upstart Edward Kibet completed the podium.

“I did not plan to compete in this race but I saw it good, since the race course passes near my home, I decided to run as part of my training. This is a good motivation to young people who can emulate me and take athletics seriously, knowing that event those athletes who compete abroad can also take part in this region,” said Kisorio.

Elsewhere former world half marathon bronze medalist Pascalia Jepkorir is set to compete in one of the races in China.

Jepkorir defeated Joyce Chepkemei to lift the title following her second stab locally arranged road races, ran shoulder to shoulder with Jepkemei after they stepped into the lead at 4km. But experienced Jepkorir sped off to win in 32:12 while Chepkemei was second in 32:22 before Betty Lembus completed the podium clocking 32:42.

“I will be going to China for a marathon so this was part of my training. At the same time, this is my home and I had to compete well,” said Jepkorir who was in the Kenya team for the 2018 world half marathon in Valencia.

Source: dailysport.co.ke

 

Athletics

Kimutai and Jepkorir take top honors at Rabbis Free Kenya 10k Race

Marius Kimutai, the 2017 Rotterdam marathon winner and former world half marathon bronze medlilist Pascalia Jepkorir piped their opponents to win the 2nd edition of Rabbis Free Kenya 10km Road Run  that was held on Saturday (22) in Nandi Coounty.

title as former world half marathon bronze medlilist Pascalia Jepkorir led in women in a race ran today in Nandi County.

All athletes competing on home turf, Kimutai and Jepkorir proved their worthy in the campaign to eradicate rabbis in line with vision 2030 ahead of world Rabbis Day set for September 28th.

With his preparations to compete at the Valencia marathon, Kimutai cut the tape in 27:02.2 beating former double Africa junior champion Mathew Kisorio who finished second timing 27:04.06 and Edward Kibet completing top three positions by clocking 27:37.09.

The 2016 Amsterdam marathon champion, who enjoys marathon personal best of 2:05.47, said he understands the route very well since it is part of his training lane daily.

“I know this route very well and I utilized the hilly places to outsmart my opponent. This race is part of my preparations for Valencia marathon,” said Kimutai.

The race started at Kipsgak Junction along Kapsabet – Kericho road and completing at Tegat Primary school.

Kisorio returned second in 27:07.06 while upstart Edward Kibet completed the podium.

Jepkorir redeemed herself to win the women’s race following her second position at Chemususu Dam half marathon last Saturday.

She ousted Joyce Chepkemei to win the race in 32:12 as Chepkemei was second in 32:22 before Betty Lembus completed the podium clocking 32:42.

“I will be going to China for a marathon so this was part of my training. At the same time, this is my home and I had to compete well,” said Jepkorir.

Race director and Sharon Lives On director Barnaba Korir said time has come for Kenya to live a free rabbis life.

Korir lives with experience after he lost his daughter due to rabbis after he was bitten by a god.

“We need to end this and we are distributing drugs hospitals and villages to cure this disease. Nobody should die of rabbis in this country,” said Korir.

LEADING RESULTS

MEN

  1. Marius Kimutai- 27:07.2
  2. Mathew Kisorio- 27:04.06
  3. Edward Kibet-      27:37.9
  4. Solomon Boit-     28:42.6
  5. David Kiprotich- 28:49.8

LEADING RESULTS

WOMEN

  1. Pascalia Jepkorir-     32:12
  2. Joyce Chepkemei-     32:22
  3. Betty Lembus –         32:42
  4. Joy Kemuma-             32:47
  5. Bornes Jepchirchir – 32:48
Athletics

Kimutai to battle three time winer Loyanae at Seoul Marathon

Marius Kimutai will line up for the Seoul Marathon with the aim of achieving his third successive victory over 26.2 miles, but the Kenyan faces a tough challenge at the IAAF Gold Label road race on Sunday (17).

Since setting his PB of 2:05:47 in Amsterdam in 2016, Kimutai won both of his marathons last year, clocking 2:06:04 in Rotterdam and 2:08:33 in Ljubljana. In between those runs, he also set a half marathon PB of 1:00:07.

For what can often be an unpredictable event, the 26-year-old has an impressively consistent record at the marathon distance. He has finished on the podium at 11 of his 12 marathons to date, winning six of those races.

But Sunday’s race could be one of his toughest marathons to date as he faces two other men with sub-2:06 personal bests, one of whom is a three-time winner in Seoul and course record-holder.

Wilson Erupe Loyanae first won in the Korean capital in 2012, clocking a course record of 2:05:37. He won again three years later in 2:06:11 and then successfully defended his title in 2016 in 2:05:13, an improvement on his course record.

He returned to Seoul last year, but in a high-quality race finished fifth in 2:06:27. He failed to finish the Gongju Marathon seven months later, but is determined to put that behind him with a good run on Sunday.

Like Kimutai, Deribe Robi will be contesting the Seoul Marathon for the first time. The Ethiopian set his best of 2:05:58 at the 2015 Eindhoven Marathon. He already has one marathon under his belt this year – a 2:12:09 run in Xiamen – and ran 2:06:38 at the Valencia Marathon five months ago.

At 39 years of age, Oleksandr Sitkovskyy is the most experienced man in the field. The Ukrainian has competed at three Olympic Games, his best result being a 12th-place finish in 2012, while his PB of 2:09:11 was set just a few years ago in Marrakech.

The women’s race also features someone who knows how it feels to win in Seoul.

Margaret Agai won in the Korean capital last year, clocking 2:25:52. Her lifetime best of 2:23:28 came when winning in Daegu in 2013, but she set a half marathon PB of 1:09:43 last year.

With a best of 2:21:56, Mulu Seboka is the fastest woman in the field. The Ethiopian’s best performance last year, however, was 2:29:17 and her last victory came in 2014, the year in which she won in Dubai, Daegu and Toronto.