•Mwetich and Mutgaa win in Hannover
• KIprop wins Madrid half marathon
Silas Mwetich and Racheal Mutgaa cruised to victories at the HAJ Hannover Marathon over the weekend.
Mwetich, 22, clocked 2:09:37 to take the race after breaking away from his closest challengers after the 35 kilometre mark to clip more than seven minutes from his previous personal best.
Hosea Kipkemboi of Kenya and Ethiopia’s Debas Alebachew Wale finished second and third with 2:10:40 and 2:10:57 respectively. Germany’s Arne Gabius was a distant seventh in 2:14:29. In the women’s race, Mutgaa took command after the 35th kilometre.
The 31-year-old clocked a course record of 2:26:15, lowering her own career best from 2:28:39.
Elsewhere, Kenneth Kiprono bagged the Madrid half marathon, setting a new course record. Kiprono clocked 1:01:47, slashing the previous mark by seven seconds with Ethiopia's Tesfaye Abera second in 1:01:59 while Ronald Kiprotich was placed third in 1:02:02.
Meanwhile, Benard Kimeli successfully defended his title at the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon
Kimeli clocked 59:07 to prevail in a tight dual over compatriot Felix Kibitok, who finished one step and one second behind.
"I was well prepared, and the pacemakers did a good job and I am also happy with the time," said Kimeli, who clipped 40 seconds from his previous career best.Kibitok also put in a strong performance, improving his lifetime best by 13 seconds.
The fastest half marathon runner of the year, Stephen Kiprop, finished third in 59:20. From the opening metres, the favoured Kenyan contingent broke away and ran together until the 15th kilometre.
Caroline Kipkirui clocked 1:05:44 to win the women's race by nearly half a minute over Lonah Salpeter of Israel, who clocked 1:06:09 to improve her own national record by 31 seconds.