Iten getting ready for another exciting international marathon

Women participate in 42km during the Iten International Marathon first edition held in Iten on December 18, 2022. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Exactly a month from today, elite athletes will line up for one of the exciting races this year – the Iten International Marathon. 

The second edition will be staged in Elgeyo Marakwet on November 12.

Last year, athletes competed on the picturesque high-altitude Iten course which started in Keiyo South and finished in Iten, a training base that has produced a huge number of distance runners and has earned the status of the mecca of athletics.

Starting today, organisers of the race that celebrates Iten’s Home of Champions status will be racing against time to deliver a world-class contest next month.

Observers say the Iten International Marathon will be happening when the county will still be celebrating the world record shattered by Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon on October 8.

The inaugural edition was held in December last year and Kelvin Kiptum who had won the Valencia Marathon in 2:01.53 in his marathon debut was given a special mention.

Samuel Naibei and Caroline Jepchirchir ran fast races, clocking 2:08:43 and 2:28:33 in the men’s and women’s races respectively at the inaugural edition.

“The course had many up and downhill sections and for me, that came with benefits; It was one of the best buildups for an athlete to gain strength in long-distance running,” Naibei, the winner of the men’s race last year said about the course.

Today, the organisers will be announcing the race’s lofty plans with indications of a bigger bonanza this year.

It will be among races that will offer marathoners the opportunity to end the year on a high note.

More than 500 elite athletes participated in last year’s edition.

The winners walked away with the race’s Sh1 million winning prize with the top 20 finishers getting cash awards.

“The course was familiar because I train in Iten. The prize money is good, and the race was the best in my preparations for international races in 2023,” Jepchirchir, who won the women’s marathon last year, said.

Multiple world half marathon, cross country, and double winner of New York City Marathon Geoffrey Kamworor and 2021 winner of London Marathon champion Joyciline were the inaugural editions race ambassadors.

The two ambassadors took charge of the race’s campaign to market Elgeyo Marakwet as a sports tourism destination.

“It was an eventful day following the successful hosting of our inaugural Iten International Marathon that attracted more than 500 athletes both local and international. There were 27 international athletes who participated,” Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich said.

Standard Group PLC is the race’s media partner. The County Government of Elgeyo Marakwet is the title sponsor.