Rome Marathon: CS Ababu, other leaders celebrate winners

Several leaders have praised Kenyan Athletes for their success at the 39th edition of the Acea Run Rome Marathon on Sunday 17, in Rome, Italy.

The Asbel Rutto-led team posted remarkable performances at the Rome Marathon taking country to another level in athletics sports.

Sports CS Ababu Namwamba was among the top Kenyan leaders who celebrated the athletes for their wonderful performances

"Rome is painted Magical Kenya! Hongera Asbel, Brian, Sila, Ivyne, Lydia, and the rest of Team Kenya at the Rome Marathon," Ababu said.

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetang'ula celebrated the team for demonstrating their dominance and heroic performance at the Marathon.

"Kudos to Asbel Rutto and Ivyne Lagat for their gold medal triumphs, Brian Kipsang and Sila Kiptoo for clinching second and third spots in the men's race, and Lydia Simiyu for securing second place in the women's race, completing the podium sweep with finesse,” he said.

"An impressive 9 out of 10 slots in the men's marathon have been claimed by Team Kenya, a remarkable feat that fills us with pride,"

Defense Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, was also on the top list in celebrating the champions. In a statement in his X account the Defense CS was thrilled with the performance.

"At the ongoing ACEA Run Rome Marathon, Team Kenya has asserted its dominance on the tracks again,” Duale said.

"Congratulations to Asbel Rutto and Ivyne Lagat for bagging gold in the men's and women's races, respectively. Others who managed a podium finish were Brian Kipsang and Sila Kiptoo, second and third in the men's category, and Lydia Simiyu, second in the women's category."

Internal Security PS, Raymond Omollo, also joined other leaders in the celebration.

"Team Kenya has painted Italy with the colorful stripes of our national flag! At the ACEA Run Rome Marathon, Asbel Rutto and Ivyne Lagat came in first in the men's and women's marathons, respectively,” he said.

"In the men's race, Team Kenya swept the first eight positions, while in the women's, we took the first two podium finishes. Congratulations, Champs!"

Rutto defied the odds to clinch the top title at the Rome Marathon crossing the finishing line in   2:06:23 to set a new course record, followed closely by Kenya’s Brian Kipsang in 2:07.55, and then Sila Kiptoo who finished third clocking 2:08.08.  

The fourth and the fifth position also went to Kenya with Reuben Narry and Isaac Cheluko clocking  2:09.09 and 2:09.24 respectively.

In the women's race, Kenya's Ivyne Lagat won in 2:24:35, smashing her previous personal best of 2:41:54, and was followed by Kenya's Lydia Simiyu, in 2:25:10 and Ethiopia's Emebet Niguse in 2:26:41.