BY Mutwiri Mutuota

Kenyan athletes have proud records at past World Half Marathon (WHM) Championships and Chicago Marathons and Sunday’s line-ups at both events are capable of stretching the chequered achievements.

Joe Nzau (1983) was the first Kenyan to win the men’s Chicago Marathon. It was not until 15 years later when Ondoro Osoro and Joyce Chepchumba won the 1998 edition that the country blessed Chicago with champions.

Sammy Kitwara in a local meeting. Photo: File/Standard

Chepchumba, the first female winner defended her title in 1999 before Catherine Ndereba took over to win her successive crowns in 2000 and 2001 editions, the second in a then world record of 2:18:47. Ben Kimundiu (2001) won the men’s race to be succeeded by American Khalid Khanouchi in 2002.

Evans Rutto reclaimed the men’s title for Kenya in 2003 and since then the country has produced subsequent victors of the men’s race.

Rutto retained his title before Felix Limo (2005), Robert Cheruiyot (2006), Patrick Ivuti (2007) and Evans Cheruiyot last year won.

Chepchumba and Ndereba remain the only female winners from a country that has won nine men and four female Chicago titles.

Benson Masya won the inaugural men’s WHM title in 1992 followed by the legendary Moses Tanui (1995) with Shem Kororia taking gold in an event record of 59:56 the same year Tegla Loroupe, also with a championship’s best of 1:08:14 became the first female gold medallist.

The 1997 edition in Kosica, Slovenia was also memorable as Kenya swept the men’s podium where Tanui (59:58) lost his title to Kororia by a hair’s breadth with Kenneth Cheruiyot (1:00:00) taking bronze.

Podium finish

No other country has ever completed a podium sweep at the event to date.

Loroupe added the 1998 and 1999 titles to become the first female runner to seal a hat trick of titles while former world marathon men record holder, Paul Tergat, succeeded Kororia and went on to become the first male three-time winner of the event with ensuing victories in 1999 and 2000 editions.

His bitter racing rival, Ethiopia’s Haile Gebreselassie ironically succeeded him for Ethiopia’s first and only WHM male title so far.

Paul Marakwen Kosgei (2002) reclaimed the men’s gold before Martin Lel and Paul Kirui the following year bagged Kenya’s ninth and last title before on Sunday.

No Kenyan woman has won the event since Loroupe although Kenyan born Dutch runner, Lornah Kiplagat did become the third three-time (2006 to 2008) winner after Britain’s Paula Radcliffe (2000, 2001 and 2003).

Both Kiplagat and Radcliffe are out of this year’s event with injury giving Mary Jepkosgei Keitany, silver medallist from 2007 and world leader the chance to repossess the women’s title for Kenya.