Gitonga dazzles in debut as Kibet dominates in Mount Longonot Trail Challenge

Ruth Gitonga made a grand entrance into mountain running, clinching victory in the elite women’s race at the Mount Longonot Trail Challenge on Saturday.

Gitonga crossed the line in 1:14:50, with Philaris Kisang (1:15:25) and Joyline Chepngeno (1:16:45) completing the podium.

The event which drew elite runners to the rugged trails of the Longonot marked Kenya's inaugural Mountain Running World Ranking competition.

Reflecting on her triumph, Gitonga admitted the race was a steep learning curve.

“The race was tough because it was my first time competing in mountain running,” Gitonga remarked.

“The course was challenging, but I’m thankful to have won.”

Remarkably, Gitonga revealed she had no specific mountain running training, relying instead on her road racing preparation.

“I hadn’t trained for mountain running at all. I entered the race to test my capabilities, and I’m happy with the result,” she added.

Kisang, a member of the Run2gether camp, acknowledged the gruelling nature of the course.

“The race had a lot of challenges. I had run the Longonot trail before but not the course which was mapped out today which was more difficult,” she said.

She was pleased with her second place finish.

“I am happy with my number two finish. I had trained sufficiently in preparation for the race today,” she added.

Looking ahead, she is aiming for top spot in the World Mountain running season.

“My goal is to take first place in the World Mountain running series. This course is similar to the international ones, so I’m optimistic,” she stated.

In the men’s race, Timothy Kibet clocked 1:02:04 to claim overall victory followed closely by Saoli Selelo (1:04:05) and Ephantus Njeri (1:04:06).

Kibet, who trains with the Milimani Runners in Elgeyo Marakwet, overcame a mid-race fall to claim the title.

“The course was tough, but the weather was favorable. I didn’t expect to win especially after I fell earlier on in the race. However I got back up and decided to push myself for the win,” he said.

Having recently transitioned from road racing, Kibet is embracing the challenges of mountain running.

“This was my second mountain race since joining the series last month. I’m enjoying the transition from road races to the trails,” he remarked.