Safaricom Half Marathon: Top guns head to Kisii 21km showpiece

Philles Moraa Ongori at the Keelu Resort in Iten where the marathon team is training for the Commonwealth Games.

The eighth Safaricom Half Marathon will be held on Friday in Kisii town.  

Peter Angwenyi, the Athletics Kenya Nyanza South chairman, said the prize money has been increased from 70,000 to 100,000. The top five athletes will get cash awards.

Angwenyi said the first five local athletes to across the finish line will also get cash prizes, with the first getting Sh15,000.  

“Increasing the prize is an extra motivation for the athletes. We expect top athletes from across the country to participate,” said Angwenyi.

The race, whose registration fee is Sh100, will start and finish at Gusii Stadium.

“The course remains the same. We have surveyed it and it’s okay. Kisii town residents will also have a chance to watch world-beating athletes compete."

Preparations for the race were at an advanced stage under the local organsing committee, which is chaired by 1972 4x400m relay Olympic gold medallist Charles Asati, Angwenyi said.

Commonwealth marathon silver medallist Irene Mogaka and 2009 World Half Marathon silver medallist Philes Ongori are among an armada of top athletes expected. Grace Momanyi, the 2010 Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion and the 2015 winner, is also expected to participate. Sammy Nyokaye, the Mully International Half Marathon winner who has been training at Mochenwa Athletics Club in Nyamira County, is the men’s hot favourite.

 Last year’s winners - Patrick Kipng’eno and Bornes Jepkurui - will be back for another shot at their titles.

Kipng'eno won in 62:44 while Jepkirui won last year’s event in 71:53.