Standard Chartered Marathon champions reveal key to their success
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Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 27.10.25. | 15:53
Chepkwony dominated the men’s 42km race from start to finish, clocking 2:11:01 to finish ahead of Alex Saekwo and Ezekiel Omullo
Bernard Chepkwony and Hellen Chepkorir expressed joy and satisfaction after winning the 2025 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon on Sunday, both crediting hard work and discipline for their triumphs.
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Chepkwony dominated the men’s 42km race from start to finish, clocking 2:11:01 to finish ahead of Alex Saekwo and Ezekiel Omullo. The 28-year-old said he felt strong early in the race and knew the win was within his reach.
“My training has been good and rigorous. After running a few kilometres, I saw my body was responding well, so I decided to push myself and go for it,” he said in an interview with Athletics Kenya media.
He added that the result confirmed his progress and promised to maintain his form in future races.
“This victory shows that my training has been solid. I’m hopeful for more success in the coming races.”
Third-placed Omullo admitted that the conditions were tough but was pleased with his performance.
“The race was not easy, we really pushed each other, and the humidity was high,” he said. “I thank God for this day because I did not expect to finish on the podium.”
He added that he will now sit down with his manager to plan his next steps. “I’ll go back and talk with my manager to see what’s next for me.”
In the women’s marathon, Hellen Chepkorir was equally impressive as she crossed the finish line in 2:27:17, ahead of Naomi Tuei in 2:27:37 and Scholastica Jepkemboi in 2:29:18.
After the race, Chepkorir said her win was a product of dedication and thorough preparation.
“The race was not easy, but I’m glad I was able to win today,” she said. “I had expected this win because my training was very intense.”
In the men’s half-marathon, Joshua Kithuku clocked 1:02:35 to take top honours ahead of Nahashon Kipsang in 1:03:31 and Gilbert Korir in 1:03:34.
Kithuku said he was proud of how he finished the race despite not expecting victory.
“The race was good, I pushed myself and managed to finish on a high,” Kithuku said. “I did not expect to win, but I kept pushing, and it paid off.”
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Debutant Karen Wainaina caused a surprise in the women’s half-marathon, winning in 1:10:40 ahead of Fridah Rerimoi in 1:14:23 and Winny Chebet in 1:15:21.
This year’s edition attracted a record 30,602 participants from 92 nationalities, marking the largest turnout in the marathon’s history. The number of persons with disabilities also increased to 184 from 146 last year, while the 10km race drew the biggest field with 12,855 runners compared to 10,276 in 2024.
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