Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich breaks Turkish Record

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Ruth Chepngetich from Kenya and Tanzanian Ismail Juma were the surprise winners at the Vodafone Istanbul Half Marathon at the IAAF Gold Label Road Race on Sunday.

Ruth Chepngetich, Eunice Kirwa and Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa went through the first five kilometres in 15:17, 51 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Degefa was unable to sustain that pace and soon dropped back, leaving Kirwa and Chepngetich to reach the 10-kilometre mark.

The leading duo then passed through 15 kilometres in 46:59, but Kirwa struggled to keep up with Chepngetich over the final few kilometres.

The 23-year-old went on to win the race in 1:06:19, taking 28 seconds off the Turkish all-comers’ record set in this race two years ago by 2014 world half-marathon champion Gladys Cherono.

Ruth Chepgetich took home a prize purse of US$25,000 while Juma pocketed US$15,000.