• Ngeno, who defended his Chemususu Half marathon title on Saturday, said he is excited that he will face his mentor and idol in Copenhagen.
• The Sotik-based runner went to Istanbul as a pacesetter but went ahead to win the race.
Image: COURTESY
Istanbul champion Bernard Ng’eno will face off with three-time Geoffrey Kamworor at next weekend’s Copenhagen Half marathon.
Ngeno, who defended his Chemususu Half marathon title on Saturday, said he is excited that he will face his mentor and idol in Copenhagen as he seeks to add another 21km feather on his hat.
Ngeno, who has been longing to compete Kamworor in half marathon, became the first person to defend the title at Kaptagat as the event entered its 6th edition.
“I will feel great that I will be facing Kamworor in Copenhagen. I have been looking upon him as my mentor and I feel this is the right time to run against him. I know he is strong enough but that will not stop me from running my best because I will be running against time, not an individual,” said Ng’eno.
Following his maiden victory at Chemususu in 2018, Ngeno went ahead to claim Istanbul Half Marathon title before winning Bomet and Sifa half marathons.
The Sotik-based runner went to Istanbul as a pacesetter but went ahead to win the race. He finished sixth at the at Valencia Half Marathon in a personal best time of 59:22. “As a pacesetter, I was told to pace up to 12km but I had the option of finishing the race, which I did and left with the goodies,” added Ngeno.
He won the race in 64.58 ahead of Leonard Lagat (65.15) and Samuel Kiplimo (65.25), Festus Cheboi (65.29) and Sila Kiptoo (65.48). Women’s winner Delvin Meringor defended her title, stunning former Boston Marathon champion Sharon Cherop, to win the title. The athlete, who trains in Kaptagat said the course was too difficult especially at the muddy section, just before the finish line.
Meringor, who has never competed outside the country, is hoping to make her debut at Valencia Half Marathon. “My wish is to compete at Valencia Half Marathon but I am still waiting for an invitation,” said Meringor, the winner of Mardsen Madoka Half Marathon.
Meringor won the race in 75.05 minutes ahead of Cherop’s (75.33) and before Nancy Jelagat ( 75.40). Cherop said the muddy course slowed down her efforts to claim the title on home soil. “Running at home gives me the opportunity to train well for international races. Today, I was prepared to claim this title but poor road, muddy and slippery course slowed me down,” said the 2018 Eldoret City Marathon champion.