Hellen Obiri and Bernard Koech of Kenya have crowned Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon champions on Saturday morning in the United Arab Emirates.
Obiri won in 1:05:05, ahead of Ethiopians Gotytom Gebreslase (1:05:51) and Ftaw Zeray (1:06:04), who finished second and third, respectively.
Brigid Kosgei, the world marathon record holder, finished fourth in 1:06:04, with Evaline Chirchir finishing fifth in 1:07:15.
Obiri expressed her delight at winning her first race of the year in an interview directed by Nation.
“The race was good, though it got windy after 18 kilometers. “I had my sights set on the prize, and I’m glad I was able to win my first international race this year,” said Obiri, who has now set her sights on the New York Half Marathon next month.
“Competing against athletes like Kosgei has pushed me to work harder in training, and I’m glad it’s paying off. To compete with such competitors, you must train hard and be in good shape,” Obiri added.
Obiri began her season last year by finishing second at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February before winning the Istanbul Half Marathon in March. She then went on to compete in a 10,000m race at the World Championships in Oregon, USA, where she finished second to Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey.
