Even before the dust settled at the just concluded IAAF World Championships in Doha, Kenyan athletes were in Europe dominating another event where they scooped nine of the top positions.
The Cardiff Half Marathon was held on Sunday, October 6, in the UK, where Kenyans posted impressive results taking the first seven spots, completely outpacing their Ethiopian archrivals.
The winner of the race, Leonard Langat clinched the 2019 title by breaking the course record with a time of 59 minutes and 30 seconds which was more than a minute faster than the previous record.
Langat turned on the afterburners in the final stages of the race to outsprint his compatriot Shadrack Kimining who came in second in 59 minutes, 32 seconds.
“I was feeling comfortable behind Shadrack and I pushed on in the final 500 metres. I kept the pace upright to the finish because I was feeling so strong, I always feel strong when I am running happy and that is down to the fantastic training group I have in Kenya.
"This is a wonderful course and I am sure that someone could run faster than 58 minutes on it in the future," Langat was quoted on the marathon's website after the race.
Coming in third was John Lotiang with a time of (60:28) followed by Kennedy Kimutai, (60:39), Noah Kigen (61:27), Evans Cheruiyot (61:42) and Wilson Chebet 61:44.
Ethiopian runner, Teshome Mekonen, (in eight position) was the only non-Kenyan in the top ten with Kenyans, Patrick Siele and Japhet Korir taking the ninth and tenth spots respectively.
The women's race was won by Kenya’s Lucy Cheruiyot who edged out Ethiopia’s Azmera Abreha in a last-minute sprint. Paskalia Kipkoech (Kenya) was third.
The feat accomplished by the athletes in the Cardiff half marathon is reminiscent of a similar victory delivery by Kenyan runners during the 2018 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon.
The Kenyan elite runners clinched the first 17 positions in the men's category.
