Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie wins Valencia Half Marathon 

Kibiwott Kandie

Kibiwott Kandie celebrates winning the men's 10,000m final at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on June 25, 2022 in the Kenyan trials for the World Athletics Championships-cum-Commonwealth Games.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen won the race after timing 1:05:41 with Ethiopians Tsigie Gebreselama (1:05:46) and Hawi Feysa Gejia (1:06:00) placed second and third respectively.
  • Irene Kimais (1:07:12), Purity Komen (1:07:29), Vicoty Chepngeno (1:07:55) and Dorcas Kimeli (1:08:17) were sixth, seventh, ninth and 10th.

Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie Sunday won the Valencia Half Marathon in Spain.

Kandie crossed the finish line in 58:11 ahead of Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha who clocked 58:32, while another Kenyan Daniel Mateiko was third in 58:40.

Kandie surged forward at the 10km mark with four athletes in pursuit, but he further engaged another gear which the others couldn't keep up with and one by one they dropped off leaving Kandie to comfortably cruise to victory.

Kibiwott missed his earlier personal best of 57:32 which was a world record time he set in 2020 before Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo lowered it by one second at the 2021 Lisbon Half Marathon.

Kennedy Kimutai (59:04), Sebastian Kimaru (59:23), Ronald Kiprotich (1:00:10) Isaac Kipkemboi (1:00:12), Edward Kimutai (1:00:14) and Weldon Kirui (1:00:28) were in fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and 10 positions respectively.

In the women's category, Kenyans missed the podium positions with Kapsabet-based Margaret Chelimo finishing fourth in 1:06:50.

Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen won the race after timing 1:05:41 with Ethiopians Tsigie Gebreselama (1:05:46) and Hawi Feysa Gejia (1:06:00) placed second and third respectively.

Irene Kimais (1:07:12), Purity Komen (1:07:29), Vicoty Chepngeno (1:07:55) and Dorcas Kimeli (1:08:17) were sixth, seventh, ninth and 10th.

SELECTED RESULTS

21KM MEN

1.      Kibiwott Kandie        58:11

2.      Yomif Kejelcha           58:32

3.      Daniel Mateiko           58:40

4.      Tadese Worku           58:47

5.      Kennedy Kimutai       59:04

21KM WOMEN

1.      Konstanze Klosterhalfen 1:05:41

2.      Tsigie Gebreselama  1:05:46

3.      Hawi Feysa Gejia       1:06:00

4.      Maragaret Chelimo    1:06:50

5.      Magdalena Shauri     1:07:09