Kirui and Cherono dominate Bogota Half Marathon

Kenyans Peter Kirui and Gladys Cherono won the thirteenth edition of the Bogotá Marathon—an IAAF Gold Label Road Race—that took place in the streets of the Colombian capital on Sunday with 44,014 participants. The 24 year-old Kirui controlled the early parts of men’s race, alongside compatriots Wilson Chebet, Isaac Macharia, Sammy Kitwara and Victor Kipchichir. Ethiopian Feyisa Lelisa was also part of that selected group.

After passing the 10th kilometre, it became a head-to-head between Kirui and Lelisa. By the descent of the bridge of the “Calle 92”, after 14km, Kirui broke the opposition of his fellow African. Kirui entered victorious at the finish line at the ‘Parque Simón Bolívar’ in 1:02:26, just six seconds off the race record, posting a quality performance minding the 2600m of altitude of the Colombian capital.

Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lelisa clocked 1:03:18 to finish second while Kenya’s Wilson Chebet posted 1:04:19 to complete the top three places. Kenya’s Victor Kipchichir (1:04:48) and Isaac Macharia (1:05:02) were placed fourth and fifth respectively with Sammy Kitwara sixth in 1:05:13 Cherono grabbed the victory in the women’s race in a similar strategy. The 28-year-old Kenyan was always in the leading group alongside her compatriot Helah Kiprop and Ethiopia’s Abebech Afework.

Cherono attacked her rivals at the ascent of the bridge of the “Calle 92”, and that attack proved decisive. The Kenyan crossed the finish line in 1:13:27. Afework was second in 1:14:49 while Kiproptook third position timed at 1:15:56. Another Kenyan Rose Chebet posted 1:18:36 for fifth place, behind Peru’s Jimena Misayauri, who clocked 1:18:16. Another Kenyan Neriah Asiba finished seventh in 1:18:51.