Cheptai banks millions after breaking course record in Dubai as Kipkorir settles for silver
Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 09.02.26. | 21:41
For their exploits the champions walked away with a Ksh1.4 million (AED 40,000) for first place, Ksh702,000 (AED 20,000) for second, and Ksh561,000 (AED 16,000) for third
The 2017 World Athletics cross country champion Irine Cheptai unleashed a killer finishing kick in her first race of 2026 to seal victory in 1:06:57 at the Burj2Burj Half Marathon in Dubai on Sunday, 8 February.
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The Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medalist led a Kenyan 1-2 in the tightly contested race, finishing ahead of compatriot Daisilah Jerono, who came home in 1:06:59.
In third place was Ethiopian Ftaw Zeray, who timed 1:07:01.
This was Cheptai’s first race of the year, choosing to open her season with a 21km race, unlike her 2025 season that saw her compete just two races, the Shanghai Marathon in China, where she finished second after clocking 2:18:51 in November and the London Marathon in April, where she missed the podium after clocking 2:21:32 for fourth.
For Jerono, coming off a 1:07:27 win at the Mitja Marató Internacional Vila de Santa Pola, Santa Pola on Sunday, 18 January, in Spain, she ran a personal best (PB) to challenge her countrywoman to the line.
In the men's race, Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir finished a close second after clocking 59:28, trailing Ugandan star Joshua Cheptegei, who took top honours in 59:26.
World champion Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania came third in 59:30, a new PB, in what was a closely contested race.
Cheptegei finished just five seconds off of his PB from the 2020 Gdynia, Poland World Half Marathon Championships, where he finished in fourth place.
In September 2025, Kipkorir set his PB in the Copenhagen Half Marathon at 58:23.
For their exploits, the champions walked away with a Ksh1.4 million (AED 40,000) for first place, Ksh702,000 (AED 20,000) for second, and Ksh561,000 (AED 16,000) for third.