Lokomwa, Murigi win in Stramilano race

By JOSEPH NGURE AND IAAF

Thomas James Lokomwa and Lucy Wambui Murigi registered a double victory for Kenya at the 2014 Stramilano half marathon for the secondsuccessive year on Sunday.

The duo, who trains at Run2gether Mount Longonot Training Camp in Naivasha, easily won the 43rd edition of the famous Italian race in 1:01.39 and 1:10.52 respectively.

Second behind Lokomwa in the famous Arena Civica Stadium in the men’s race was another Kenyan and last year’s winner Kiprop Limo in 1:01.55 while third was the Italy-based Ugandan Wilson Busienei in 1:02.08.

The competitors went through the first half in 28:59 before the pace setter, Joel Melly, dropped out at 15km, leaving the trio of Lokomwa, Kiprop and Busienei to battle for the top three places as they passed 15km in 43:54.

Lokomwa and Businei dropped Limo in the 17th kilometre before Lokomwa pulled away after 18th Kilometre as Limo got his second wind and overtook Businei and the three maintained their positions all the way to the finish line.

The 26-year-old Lokomwa is a distant cousin to 2010 World cross-country champion Joseph Ebuya and comes from Rumuruti in Laikipia West in Laikipia County and is from the Turkana tribe.

“It was a good race but it was not easy as it was affected by wind. It was important to win the race against good athletes,” reflected Lokomwa after overcoming windy weather conditions for the victory.

In the women’s race, four women were together until 14km when Ethiopia’s Tilahun Biruk and Murigi pulled away from their compatriots, Ethiopia’s Sichala Deressa and Kenya’s Hellen Jepkurgat.

Murigi, a mother of one from Njabi-ni in Nyandarua County, then steadily left Biruk behind in the final three kilometres, carving out a decisive gap of 18 seconds, with Biruk coming home in 1:11:10.

“I am happy because I set my personal best. The wind affected my race. I am happy to score a double as the men’s winner Lokomwa is my training partner,” said Murigi, who, together with Lokomwa, are managed by Thomas Krejci from Austria.

About 6,000 runners took part in the half marathon while around 50,000 runners took to the streets for the popular non-competitive Stramilano mass-race.