After a second-place finish at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon on Saturday, the 2018 Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medalist Rodgers Kwemoi has set sights on another good showing at the Istanbul Half Marathon on March 27.
Kwemoi timed 58:30 — behind world record holder Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda (57:56) — as he led Kenyans to grab six of the top 10 positions in the race.
"I am happy about the race. My next stop will be Turkey, where I will be competing at the Istanbul Half Marathon. The aim is to run well like at RAK or even better," Kwemoi said.
The 2016 World Under 20 10,000m champion will be hoping to strike gold in the Turkish capital where other Kenyans have reaped rich returns in the past.
Last year, world marathon champion Ruth Chepng'etich timed 1:04:02 to set a new women's half marathon world record.
Another great race in Istanbul will put Kwemoi in a vantage position to battle for a ticket to represent the country in the men's 10,000m at the World Championships in Oregon, USA in July this year.
However, the 2021 national cross country champion has been grappling with back and hamstring injuries, which has prevented him from performing at full peak.
"Yes, I have been struggling with an injury for quite some time...close to five years. I have not fully recovered but at least now I have been getting the right treatment. At RAK, I was keen to see whether this problem is disappearing and to assess whether my training is bearing fruit," he said.
The 2020 Eldama Ravine 10km champion Kenneth Renju finished third in 58:35.
In the women's race, world 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri timed a personal best of 1:04:22 to finish second behind Ethiopian Girmawit Gebrzihair Gebru (1:04:14).
The double Olympic 5000m silver medalist was part of an eight-woman leading pack that included debutant Gebru, Sheila Chepkirui, 2015 world 1500m champion Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia as well as countrywoman and 2020 champion Ababel Yeshane.
However, Obiri and Gebru pulled away at the 20km mark and were engaged in a spirited sprint before the Ethiopian emerged the winner.
The 2016 African 5000m champion, Chepkirui, finished third in 1:04:36 as Kenyans once again featured in six of the top 10 places.
