44 year old Kenneth Mung’ara wins the 2018 Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon. [Photo/ capitalfm.co.ke]
Forty four-year old Kenyan athlete left observers and fellow athletes stunned after winning the 2018 Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon on Sunday.
According to the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) website – iaaf.org, 44 year old Kenyan long distance runner Kenneth Mung’ara emerged the winner in a time of 2 hours, 13 minutes and 39 seconds.
He won the race after beating a host of other athletes from around the world, majority of them half his age.
Mung’ara who is the 2013 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon winner will lead the Kenyan team at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia in April this year.
By winning the 2018 Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon at such an advanced age, he showed his ability to lead the Kenyan contingent in the upcoming event.
Ethiopian Bonsa Dida finished second in the Hong Kong Marathon Men’s race while other Kenyans Barnabas Kiptum, Samwel Maswai, Mike Mutia, Duncan Maiyo and Joachim Sang finished 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th respectively.
The Women’s race was won by Ethiopia’s Gulume Tollessa in a time of 2 hrs, 29 minutes and 37 seconds.
Her compatriots Meskerem Assefa and Fantu Jimma finished second and third respectively.
The only Kenyan in the top ten – Lucy Kabuu finished seventh in a time of 2 hours, 31 minutes and 21 seconds.