• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
Three visiting athletes from the county of Kenya dominated the recently concluded 42-kilometer open category of the City of Smiles International Marathon held in Bacolod City, which ran from Bacolod to EB Magalona and back.
First to finish the race was David Kipsang who demonstrated exceptional speed and stamina, ending the 42-kilometer run with a time of 2 hours and 23 minutes. His solid and consistent pacing led him to prevail among his contenders as he brought home the gold medal with P50,000 cash prize.
Kipsang’s performance, which showcased his athleticism as a formidable long-distance runner, left Filipino runner, Edsel Moral, almost 4 minutes behind in second place, which earned him a P25,000 cash prize.
Joining the top 5 were Kipsang’s fellow countrymen, Chige Mwangi and Eric Kibiwott Chepsiror, who claimed 3rd and 4th places, respectively, displaying impressive endurance and tactical racing.
Other categories in the race were 55 and above, 43-54 age bracket, 31-42, and 30-under age brackets.
The 42-kilometer marathon that brought together athletes from around the world is a part of the ongoing MassKaralympics, a sporting spectacle organized by the Gugma Foundation Inc. in celebration of the 46th MassKara Festival.*
