Vincent Ngetich and Catherine Lerine produced superb performances to win the 2022 Nakuru City Half Marathon titles on Sunday, November 27, 2022.
Ngetich, who hails from Keringet clocked 59:00.01 to elope with the men’s title ahead of last year’s runners-up Geoffrey Kipchumba who crossed the finishing line in 59:44.00.
The one-time Madrid Half Marathon champion is without doubt the king of domestic marathons. Earlier this year, he clinched the Nairobi City Half Marathon title in 1:44.00.
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In 2021, Ngetich also ran a tactical race to win the inaugural Standard Chartered Nairobi City Marathon title.
In the women’s category, Lerine, proved too strong for the rest of the field to successful defend the title she won in 2021.
She crossed the finishing line in 01:06.48 ahead of Iten-based Jackline Chelal and Janet Chepkoech.
Chelal and Chepkoech clocked a time of 1:07.46 and 1:08.26 respectively.
Lerine, who trains with the marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei at the Kapsait training camp in Elgeyo-Marakwet County disclosed after the race that the latter gave her the motivation to go on and win the race at the 10km mark.
Speaking during a post-race press conference, Lerine also revealed that she was not expecting to win the race for the second time in a period of two years.
“I thank God, because he has given me the energy to run and win the race. I was not sure of winning it for the second time, so I just decided to give it a trial and it all went well.
“The weather was good, unlike last year, so I didn’t struggle to run. In two years time I would like to take part in major races like the Berlin Marathon,” she stated.
The winners of the race in the men's and women's category received Ksh 500,000 each.
Kosgei was this year’s marathon ambassador and she was at the finishing line to present the winners with the medals.
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