Benson Murkomen crosses the finish line to win the men's 42km race./HANDOUT
Murkomen, 30, produced a strong finishing kick to outdo Justus Limo, clocking 2:08:36 to take top honours.
Limo followed closely in 2:08:42, while Albert Kangogo sealed third place in 2:09:06.
After finishing a distant eighth on his debut in 2023, Murkomen was thrilled to finally stand atop the podium.
"This is my second time at the Nairobi City Marathon. I finished eighth in 2023. This time, my determination pushed me to claim victory," he said.
Murkomen made his decisive move at the 28km mark after sitting patiently in the chasing pack.
“The race was not too bad. I stayed tucked in until around 25km, and then my body began to respond. By 28km, I knew it was time to attack. At 31km, I was controlling the pace and decided to push all the way.”
Despite feeling in control, Murkomen admitted he had to stay alert in the closing stages as Limo loomed large.
"A marathon starts at 35km so you never know what could happen. I could see number two behind me closing in quickly so I kept checking back to ensure I was ahead of him," he added.
Looking ahead, the Iten-based athlete is eyeing a high-profile outing later this year. "My management will plan my next race. I may go to Valencia or another race at the end of the year."
Murkomen pocketed Sh3.5 million for his victory, a reward he says will be life-changing.
"This money will change the lives of my parents and my grandmother. It will help us a lot," he noted.
Runner-up Limo, also making his second appearance at the race, admitted Murkomen’s surge was too hot to handle.
"The pace from the leader was very intense, so I decided to pull back to avoid burning out and miss the podium. I am pleased with my performance today because this is my first race to finish second in my career," Limo said.
After finishing 23rd in 2023, Limo credited hill training for his remarkable improvement. In 2023, I finished in position 23. I focused more on hill work, and that has helped me today."
In the women’s race, Chepkemoi conquered the Nairobi City Marathon course, stopping the clock at 2:25:45 to bag her maiden title.
She edged out Vivian Jerotich (2:26:31) and Lucy Chelele (2:26:35) in a closely fought contest.
Chepkemoi’s triumph was particularly sweet, coming after a heartbreaking debut in 2022, where she failed to finish after falling and injuring her leg.
"My first race at the Nairobi City Marathon was in 2022 which I did not finish because I fell during the race and injured my leg," Chepkemoi said.
"I am happy with my victory. I had prepared well for the race and I was ready to take on any challenge."
Despite the challenging weather and developing stitch at the 30km mark, she decided to push on.
"The course was good, the only challenge was the weather. At the 30km mark, I got a stitch, but I decided to push on through the pain," she said.
Runner-up Jerotich admitted she couldn’t match Chepkemoi’s power in the final stretch.
"The race was not easy, so I decided to push on. The leader had a lot of power and speed, and I could not keep up," she said. "I am glad with my podium finish today."
