Marathon Winners
Flashback- How they won it
2003
Men
The inaugural marathon had its set of challenges particularly in regards to traffic with many city residents complaining of the road closures. Philip Kitui, a 32-year-old farmer from Kapsabet, didn't mind one bit taking command of the closed roads from the 12km mark to post a winning time of 2:15:40. It was a slow winning time by elite marathon standards as many began to wonder if the high altitude of Nairobi would be a major barrier to faster times. But as the subsequent races will show, times progressively fell.
Women
Alice Chelangat was a 27-year-old career marathon runner who had won the 2001 Milan Marathon and the 2002 Rock "n" Roll Marathon in San Diego. She boasted a personal best of 2:26:36 and was considered one of the favourites. She did not disappoint, storming to victory in a time of 2:41:27.
2004
Men
Competitors were given a set time of 2:14:40 for a bonus payment. That windfall went to the most unlikeliest of figures, Benjamin Kipchumba whose only known performance of note was a fourth place finish at the 2003 World Military Games in Catania, Italy. Kipchumba broke away at the latter stages to finish in 2:11:50 - new course record - almost three minutes clear off second placed Festus Kioko.
Women
If the men’s winner was surprising, the women’s was even more so. Unknown Chimokil Chilapong upstaged the likes of three-time London marathon champion, Joyce Chepchumba and one time Paris marathon champion, Beatrice Omwanza to win in 2:39:09. Chilapong’s victory was even more astounding when it emerged she was a mother of four children and this was her first ever marathon. Chepchumba finished second in 2:39:27 and well rated Delilah Asiago third in 2:45.16.
2005
Men
The year had a field that looked capable of seriously threatening the course record. The best known runner was of course Noah Kiplagat, the 2001 Chicago Marathon winner. But all the big names were upstaged by little known 23-year-old Samson Barmao, whose only claim to fame prior to the race was being a training partner of former 3,000m Steeplechase World record holder, Bernard Barmasai. Barmao, with just two unobtrusive marathon runs under his belt, smartly stuck with the second lead group before pulling his move with seven kilometres to go. It proved decisive as he crossed the finish line in 2.12:15.
Women
Veteran Caroline Cheptanui entered the race as a formidable marathoner. She had run 2.32:52 in Prague 2004 and 2.34:52 at the Olympus Marathon in Hamburg. If anybody could beat the course record, she could. Cheptanui duly clipped three whole minutes from the previous best time to set a new record of 2.36:08. She walked home with Sh1.75 million thanks to a juicy bonus for the course record.
2006
Men
The marathon featured a new route – two loops along Mombasa Road – that was relatively flat perfect for a fast race. Twenty-five-year-old Hosea Rotich showed a mastering of the direct route to emphatically win his first ever marathon in a new course record of 2:10:21, almost three minutes ahead of second placed Kipchoge Kiplagat.
Women
The new route obviously suited Irene Jerotich who commandingly won in 2:32:39, a course record. This was the fastest time ever posted on Kenyan soil for a marathon. Her winning margin over second-placed 19-year old Xiu Zhang of China, was a huge four minutes and 47 seconds.
2007
Men
John Njoroge Thuita won in the slowest time recorded in the history of the marathon 2:15:50. He was exactly 20 seconds faster than second placed Wilson Kipkoris while Paul Kipkoech came third in 2:17.42.
Women
The women’s winner did not fare any better than the men’s. Rose Jepkosgei, batted with Chinese Li Lu Lu for the greater part of the race before easing away in the last two kilometres to win in a slow time of 2:44:44, the lowest in the history of the race.
2008
Men
The edition saw an interesting duel between three upstarts Cosmas Musyoka, Samson Tuiyange and Gitia Baaru. After intermittently swooping front running roles earlier on, Musyoka built a 30 second lead over Tuiyange and Baaru in the middle stages. But the duo overhauled him in the last quarter of the race before Tuiyange hit the front for good with two kilometers to go to finish in a new course record of 2:10:30. At 34, he become the oldest winner of the Standard Chartered Marathon. The victory was more remarkable for Tuiyange whose only other competitive race was a half marathon in Eldoret a month earlier where he finished eighth.
Women
Following three four-placed finishes in her previous big races 27-year old Emma Muthoni was not going to be an also run. After the 5 km mark she hit the front and never looked back breasting the tape in 2:33:42. The battle for second place had plenty of drama. Jepkosgei Sawe charged through the leader board to grab second spot from Irene Jerotich at the 41 km mark and finish in 2:36:59. But Sawe was later disqualified for taking a short cut.
2009
Men
The race featured four past winners who were all upstaged by a man who had not even planned to enter the competition. Moses Kigen, who set a new course record, decided to run in Nairobi after he failed to travel to Germany for the Frankfurt Marathon. Kigen stuck with an early breakaway pack before making a strong move after 30 km. He inexorably stretched his lead and was virtually unchallenged in the last six kilometers to finish in 2.10:12 beating Samson Tuiyange's year-old record of 2:10.30 by 18 seconds.
Women
Irene Jerotich returned to Nairobi to win her second Standard Chartered Marathon in a new course record of 2.28:57. Jerotich became the first second-time winner in the history of the race following her first triumph in 2006. She blew the field apart after 30km and the previous record too by a good four minutes and 56 seconds.
2010
Men
David Barmaasai took this race after beating his competitors 2.10.31
Women
Hellena Kirop finished the race in 2.31.11
2011
The marathon has been getting faster and faster even as more elite runners sign on. Could this be the year that the men go below 2hr 10 min and the women 2hr 25 min? Be in Nairobi on October 30 to find out.
