The Weekend that was: Kenyan runners sweep Kigali clean in show of might

Kenyans showed great strength in the 20th edition of the Kigali International Peace Marathon in Rwanda, dominating both the men’s and women’s full marathon races, making the country proud in a highly competitive track.

In the men’s 42km race, 39-year-old Laban Kipngetich Korir defended his title. He ran with power and focus, crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 26 seconds. Korir looked happy as he raised his hands in victory attributing his victory to his strong mentality and concentration.

“The marathon was all about the mind, the track was tough and so I tried to do my best maintaining high level concentration.”

In the women’s race, Teresiah Kwamboka Omosa gave an amazing performance. She not only won the race but also broke the championship record. The 30-year-old ran a time of 2 hours, 37 minutes, and 12 seconds. Ethiopia’s Kebene Chala Urisa came second in 2:37:29, and Kenya’s Ivyne Jeruto Lagat followed in third place with 2:38:14.

In the half-marathon, Kenya’s Njoroge Derrick Chege was crowned champion. He completed the race in 1 hour, 5 minutes, and 23 seconds. It was a strong performance that added to Kenya’s glory in Kigali.

The women’s half-marathon saw a home victory for Rwanda. Florence Niyonkuru gave the crowd something to cheer about by winning in 1:13:57.

The marathon started and ended at the BK Arena. Since its first edition on May 15, 2005, the Kigali Peace Marathon has aimed to promote peace and unity through sports. This year’s race was the biggest yet, with over 10,000 participants from 35 countries and regions.

According to organizers, more than 1,836 runners competed in the half-marathon, while 1,314 joined the full marathon. Another 5,450 took part in the Run for Peace, a fun run for all ages and abilities.