Bahrain’s Kirwa clinches gold

Bahrain’s Kenyan-born Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa clinched the gold medal for the second successive time in a winning time of two hours 22 minutes and 40 seconds yesterday in the Nagoya International Women’s Marathon in Japan.

The silver medal went to Japan’s Tomomi Tanaka (2:23.19) and the bronze to compatriot Rei Ohara (2:23.20).

Kirwa who also holds the Asian Games gold, said after the race, “The hard work starts now and I know the Olympics will not be easy so I have to keep pushing in training.”

On the occasion of Kirwa’s victory, HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of the West Asian Athletics and President of the Bahrain Athletics Association sent his congratulations to the Kingdom’s leadership along with the representative of His Majesty the King to Charity and Youth Affairs, President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Shaikh Khalid stressed the victory reflects Bahrain’s position in marathon running in both men and women’s categories and building on the successes and achievements in recent years.