Sawe, Tigist triumph in half-marathon

TDT | Manama                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Sabastian Sawe from Kenya and Tigist Assefa from Ethiopia were last night crowned champions of their respective race classes in the third Bahrain Royal Night Half-Marathon, which featured nearly 1,000 professional and amateur athletes from around the world, including more than 30 elite runners.

The event was held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Sawe claimed first place overall in the elite men’s category while Tigist was the winner amongst the elite women.

The race began and finished at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, with the participants competing across a 21.1-kilometre course in the surrounding area.

Sawe finished the race in an ultra-quick time of 58 minutes 58 seconds.

He was marginally in front of countryman Daniel Simiya Ebemyo in 59:04, while Yomif Kejelcha from Ethiopia, one of the pre-race favourites, came third in 59:25.

Bahrain’s Abraham Cheroben gave the home crowd a good reason to cheer after finishing fourth in 1:00:19, while Vincent Ngetich from Kenya came fifth in 1:01:06.

Felix Kipkoech, also Kenyan, was sixth, while Ibrahim Hassan Bouh from Djibuti came seventh and Hagos Berhe from Ethiopia eighth.

Elvis Cheboi from Kenya and Stephen Kissa from Uganda rounded out the top 10 amongst the elite men.

Amongst the elite women, Tigest emerged victorious after finishing the race’s 21.1km distance in 1:07:40.

Winfridah Moseti from Kenya was the runner-up in 1:08:21, while Agnes Ngolo, another Kenyan athlete, came third in 1:08:51.

Fetaw Zeray Bezabh of Ethiopia was fourth in 1:09:22 and Nelly Jepchumba from Kenya fifth in 1:09:46.

Completing the elite women’s top 10 were Nigisti Haftu and Zenebu Fikadu from Ethiopia, Bahrainis Bontu Edao Rebitu and Violah Jepchumba, and Nesphine Jepleting from Kenya in 10th place.

The prestigious race, organised in collaboration with the Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA), was a Label Race held as part of the World Athletics Label Road Races calendar.

The men’s and women’s winners get U.S.$30,000 apiece, while the runners-up each come away with U.S.$20,000.

The third-placers take home U.S.$15,000 apiece, while the rest of the top 10 elite men and women also come away with prize money.

Furthermore, there was a bonus of US$20,000 for breaking the half-marathon world record, but it was not claimed.