Kenyan runners dominate Penang International Bridge run

GEORGE TOWN: Kenyan runners once again dominated the 2014 Asics Penang InternationalBridgeMarathon by sweeping the top three positions in the men’s and women’s open categories.

Alex Melly clinched the men’s open title after finishing the gruelling race in two hours 19 minutes, followed by Hosea (2’21:24.2s) and Joseph Kiio Mutinda (2’21:28.4s), in second and third places, respectively.

Melly, 27, a full time farmer from Eldoret, Kenya said he had trained for the Penang run by training for two hours every day, covering a distance of 30km, for the past three months.

“This is my fourth appearanceinthistournament since 2009 because I did not took part in 2012 and 2013. It is my biggest achievement, the cash prize (RM20,000) value more than 400,000 Kenyan shilling. I am really thankful to the organiser,” he told reporters here after the prize presentation.

Inthewomen’scategory,Frida Jepkite Lodepa, 32, showed that age was not a barrier when she clocked three hours four minutes to claim the title ahead of her fellow countrywomen JaneRotich(3’05:20.5s)andViola Jepchirchir Kimeli (3’08:25.8s), respectively.

Meanwhile, Sabahan Fabian Osmond Daimon emerged as the winner in the local men’s open category with a time of two hours 47 minutes 03.4s after sweeping past National runner Shaharudin Hashim (2’47:37.7s) and Muhaizar Mohamad (2’47:38s).