Debutants Kipkorir and Chepkanan wins 13th edition of Standard Chartered Nairobi International Marathon as cheats nabbed

21.1KM half marathon winner Patrick Kipngeno Standard chartered marathon taken on 25th October 2015. PHOTO:WILBERFORCE OKWIRI (R) Exhausted Peterson Kamau on his knees after winning a 5KM Family Fun Run during the 12th edition of the Stanchart Nairobi Marathon at the Nyayo National stadium on Sunday, 0ctober 26th, 2014. Photo/Jonah Onyango.

Mixed reactions marked the 13th edition of the Standard Chartered Nairobi International Marathon that took place in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Sunday.

While some winners were smiling all the way to the bank, others were descending to the police cells at the Nyayo National stadium venue after they were caught cheating.

One such character was Julius Njogu, who claims to train at the Milele camp in Naivasha.

Njogu, of bib number 388, had stood strategically at the Nyayo National stadium entrance which was the finish line of the race, waiting for the opportunity to strike.

TORTOISE ARRESTED AT STANCHART Julius Njogu (RIGHT)

Armed with full racing gear, with exception of his battered training sports shoes, Njogu jumped into the men's 42km line behind Eldoret-based Shadrack Kiptoo who was headed for the runners up position after the race winner Joshua Kipkorir.

The scene resembled that of a folklore tale, about an epic race pitting the slow but witty tortoise against fastest but careless hare. The tortoise easily won the race by springing off to the finish line, from the hare's ear where he hid all throughout the day long and tedious odyssey.

Just like the tortoise, Njogu who had carefully mastered his craft, marshalled his impressive finishing kick which he released in the 400m stretch. It was so impressive that the crowd cheered and applauded as he whizzed past Kiptoo and almost toppled Kipkorir at the tape.

"Waa! The race is getting interesting and someone has just lost money at the finish line, to know the value of a second ask the loser..." the voice of the master of ceremony boomed across the giant speakers in the stadium.

To hid his craftiness Njogu immediately splashed himself with water to camouflage his body that had neither sweat nor the white body salt normally characterised by athletes after races.

But Njogu's craftiness was unearthed by the race director Hussein Ibrahim who easily picked him out from other finishers, pointing out that he was a cheat.

"This athlete did not complete the race, look at his body, so smooth with no sweat, he is disqualified. I leave it for the race organisers to take action on him," Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim's sentiments were corroborated by other athletes, especially the losers who were baying for Njogu's blood. The contestants examined Njogu by smelling his body sweat, scrutinising his body which they concluded had no sweat, ripping off his race microchip for further examination and removing his shoes to check on the finer details of his soles and that of his shoes and socks for reasons best known to them. And they concluded he was a cheat.

In his defence, Njogu insisted he had ran the race and that he was just being denied the opportunity to bag a cool Sh650,000 that he had 'won' as runners up.

"I have run this race. We were in a pack and I left the others at the 38 km mark. In fact I was recently fourth in the Lewa Marathon. You can confirm with Lewa organisers if I am not an athlete," Njogu protested.

Njogu was whisked away by the hawk eyed G4S officers who immediately handed him over to the Administrative Police enforcing security at the race.

Standard Chartered Bank's representative Tom Indimuli said that Njogu's was a court case and that he would face the law.

This is not the first time cases of cheating is happening in the high profile race that seeks to raise funds to mitigate diseases associated with blindness in children through the bank's Seeing is Believing initiative.

Kipkorir from Kaptagat won the race in 2:13:25; Kiptoo came second in 2:13:56 while Moses Lolik was third in 2:14:40.

Women's 42km race was won by Elizabeth Chepkanan Rumokoi in 2:29:32.Veterna Georgina Jepkirui Rono was second in 2:32:06 while Ronotukai Chemtai was third in 2:35:01.

RESULTS

10km men

1.Wilfred Kimetei 28:48 Sh110,000

2.Kenneth Koech 29:11 Sh60,000

3.Julius Poisho 29:25 Sh30,000

10km women

1.Sheila Chepkirui 33:30 Sh110,000

2.Betty Lempos 33:39 Sh60,000

3.Chepngetich Ruth 34:15 Sh30,000

21km men

1.Patrick Kipngeno 1:02:42 Sh150,000

2.Nicholas Korir 1:02:49 Sh100,000

3.Geofrey Kipyego 1:02:58 Sh50,000

21km women

1.Purity Jebichi 1:11:17 Sh150,000

2.Pauline Korikwang 1:12:03 Sh100,000

3.Lucy Cheruiyot 1:12:41 Sh50,000

42km men

1.Joshua Kipkorir 2:13:25 Sh1.5M

2.Shadrack Kiptoo 2:13:56 Sh650,000

3.Hillary Kiplimo 2:14:18 Sh350,000

4.Moses Lolik 2:14:40 Sh150,000