Chelimo, Chepkech claim top honours in Nairobi Marathon

Elias Chelimo and Sheila Chepkech are the 2022 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon champions.

Chelimo bossed the men's category after clocking two hours, ten minutes and twenty two seconds while Chepkech clocked 2:27:02 in the women's category.

Chepkoech won the race ahead of Beatrice Cheptoo who settled for silver after timing 2:28:42 with Shyline Toroitich claiming bronze after stopping the clock after two hours, twenty nine minutes and thirty six seconds.

In the men's category, Wilfred Kigen was second in 2:10:50 while seasoned long distance runner Felix Kangogo finished third after timing 2:10:08.

Chelimo revealed that he had unsuccessfully tried his luck in the streets of Nairobi in three editions but is glad to have cut the tape ahead of the rest.

" I had been training for the race for quite some time. In my training, I realized I would ran short of gas after 35 kilometers but I worked on it," he said.

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The 43-year old who shifted base from Eldoret to Iten recently ranked 31st in the 2003 edition before finishing seventh in the subsequent year. He broke to the podium in the 2007 edition as he finished third.

The athlete who revealed that he had been out of competitive races since 2019 lifted the lid on his future plans with the Honolulu Marathon set for December 11 being on top of his mind.

"I have never participated in a race staged out of the country but I think today's victory will open the doors for me. I will discuss with my coach and management and see if I get at least race out of the country before the year ends," he added.

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Chepkoech on the other hand disclosed that she had been preparing for the race since April hardly two months after finishing sixth in the Eldoret City Marathon where she finished sixth.

" I had been preparing for the race in the past six months. I thank my family for allowing me time to train for the race," said the Iten based runner.