AFRICAN SPORTS MONTHLY
'Sports is our Business'
  • Home
  • NEWS
  • Rankings
  • Radio
  • TV

Peres Jepchirchir’s rise continues as the young Kenyan Star smashes event record to win in Usti nad Labem

9/13/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Winner Peres Jepchirchir; photo credit: Mattoni Usti nad Labem Half Marathon


The surge to the top of Peres Jepchirchir showed no sign of faltering as the 21-year-old Kenyan surprised herself with the emphatic nature of her victory. A week after running the fastest 10k by a woman this year of 30:55 to win the Birell Prague Grand Prix 10 k, she triumphed once again with 67:17 in the fifth edition of the Mattoni Usti nad Labem Half Marathon. The feat improved the event record of 69:38, set by compatriot Josephine Chepkoech in 2013, by over two minutes. Bahrain’s Shitaye Eshete was a distant second but with a solid 70:14 debut at the distance after maternity leave and Linah Cheruto of Kenya finished third in 71:48.


Eritrea’s Merhawi Kesete sprang a surprise in the men’s race. After victory in the Hamburg Half Marathon in late June, he beat better known rivals with an astute display of racing in 60:58, six seconds outside his personal best. Kesete finished one second ahead of Kenya’s Barselius Kipyego with Elijah Tirop 14 second behind the winner. The Mattoni Usti nad Labem Half Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label event, the highest category of road race.

Peres Jepchirchir confessed afterwards that she had been hoping to run 68 minutes which would still have been a solid improvement on her lifetime best of 69:12. Once the mayor of Usti nad Labem, Vera Nebychova, had fired the starting gun, Jepchirchir displayed the same direct approach that had served her so well in the Birell Prague Grand Prix the week before: run hard and let the opposition worry. Linah Cheruto was briefly in attendance as Jepchirchir went through 5k in 15:32, Cheruto one second adrift.
Soon the television monitors and spectators were witnessing a different scenario. Whenever the cameras went to the head of the women’s race, just one figure was in view: Peres Jepchirchir, remorseless as ever.

10k was passed in 31:48, giving the Iten-based runner a 42 second margin inside event record pace. By 15k the clock showed 47:32 and she was still flying, over a minute inside the required target. Onlookers began to consult the world leading times this year and names such as Florence Kiplagat and Mary Keitany showed the company Peres Jepchirchir is challenging these days. She triumphed in 67:17, the seventh fastest half marathon by a woman this year, and soon gave credit to her training partner and schoolgirl role model, Mary Keitany: “When I was in school, I ran track and I read about Mary and her achievements. I’m still surprised to think that I train with her, learn from her and am now running these times. I didn’t expect to run 67 but hoped for 68 minutes today,” reflected Peres Jepchirchir.

She confirmed that this was her last road race of the season, even though she has now become such a hot property at 10k and the half marathon. Her attention will switch to gaining a place on the Kenyan Olympic team for the 10,000m in Rio next year.

Merhawi Keset didn’t waste words when asked what victory in the men’s race meant to him: “Happy,” was the Eritrean’s succinct response. This was a win earned by astute positioning, always in the lead group which, though the bid to break the event record of 60:38 faded after 5k was passed in 14:11, provided exciting racing.

With just under 2.5k remaining, a trio were in contention: Keset taking his turn to push the pace with the Kenyan Barselius Kipyego, while Kipyego’s compatriot Elijah Tirop was a stride behind. At 1k remaining Kipyego and Kesete were the contenders. Having taken third in the Birell Prague Grand Prix 10k the week before, Kipyego might have been expected to have the required finishing speed but Kesete produced a final surge for a narrow win.

Daniel Chebii of Kenya, one of the pre-race favourites after his Prague victory last weekend, was well placed till halfway but faded in the latter stages to finish eighth in 63:27.

Results, Men:
1. Merhawi Kesete ERI 60:58
2. Barselius Kipyego KEN 60:59
3. Elijah Tirop KEN 61:12
4. Festus Talam KEN 61:34
5. Emmanuel Oliaulo KEN 61:58
6. Kenneth Keter KEN 62:29

Women:
1. Peres Jepchirchir KEN 67:17 (CR/PB)
2. Shitaye Eshete BHR 70:14
3. Linah Cheruto KEN 70:48
4. Caroline Kilel KEN 71:45
5. Eva Vrabcova CZR 72:11
6. Etalemahu Habtewold ETH 72:43

Further information about the Mattoni Usti nad Labem Half Marathon can be found online: www.runczech.com

By: Andy Edwards
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    July 2024
    June 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Menu

    All
    2014 FIFA World Cup
    Athletics
    Basketball
    Boxing
    Commonwealth Games
    Cricket
    Golf
    Hockey
    Marathons
    News
    Olympics
    Rugby
    Soccer
    Spotlight
    Tennis
    Track And Field
    Volleyball
    Women Soccer
    Wrestling


    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Tweets by ASMONTHLY

Tweet to @ASMONTHLY

Contact Us

    Contact Us

Submit

Donate & Support Our Efforts at African Sports Media Network