Three Kenyan athletes have bagged a total of Ksh 11 million after a stellar performance at the prestigious Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon on Sunday, February 9. Bethwell Kipkemboi, Kennedy Kipyeko, and Vincent Kiprono dominated the race, securing the top three positions in a thrilling contest.
Kipkemboi claimed the top spot, finishing first with an impressive time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 13 seconds, despite the chilly conditions at Victoria Park. Kipyeko closely followed, finishing second in 2:11:36, while defending champion Anderson Seroi, who won the race the previous year, settled for third with a time of 2:11:40.
Kipkemboi attributed his victory to the stiff competition from his fellow Kenyans, noting, “I’m happy for them; they were challenging me, and I was so nervous. The fans were amazing, and the people in Hong Kong were very friendly. It was a tough race, but the preparation I did back in Kenya paid off.” The athlete also highlighted the significant incentive of the Ksh 8.3 million (US$65,000) prize for the men’s race winner, which spurred him to push through the tough competition.
Kipyeko, the runner-up, earned Ksh 3.8 million (US$30,000) for his second-place finish. He expressed his appreciation for Hong Kong and vowed to return next year with one goal in mind: winning the race. “I like Hong Kong; I’ve never run in China before,” he said. “This was my first time, and I was excited to come here—it was my dream. Next year, I’ll come back and win the title. I love the food, the weather, and how welcoming the people are—I like everything here.”
