Kenyans Reign Mt Kinabalu Climbathon

Men Open champion Enock Kipchirchir Kigen

KUNDASANG: Kenyan runners almost swept  all the prizes in men and women open category in today’s 27th Mt Kinabalu Climbathon 2013.

Under the men open, the first , second and third places were swept by the Kenyans.

Enock Kipchirchir Kigen won the 23km race by clocking 2:28:57 and became the champion. He took away  RM5000 as cash prize.

The second and third places also fell for two other Kenyans, namely Stephen Daniel Karithi Kuria who clocked 2:30:45 and Nelson Kiptoo who clocked 2:33:21. They received RM3000 and RM2000  cash respectively.

Under the women open, the first and second places fell for Kenyan ladies and the third place was won by a Nigerian.

Carolyne Jepkosgei Chepkwony  became the champion by finishing the race in 3:13:21. The first runner-up Viola Jepchirchir Kimeli clocked in 3:26:10. The third place went to a runner from Nigeria, Genevive Uchechi Nooku who finished at 3:36:44.

Another interesting thing was husband and wife won the race under veteran category.

Reigning champion Guainus Bin Salagan retained his number one spot by finishing the race in 2:37:14, beating his own record of 2:40:19 set last year. His wife Kona @Lydia Binti Liau A Ken won the second place in women veteran race. She clocked 3:40:47.

Deborah Chinn who won the race last year under this category, retained her title as  the champion. She clocked 3:36:51.

Almost all runners expressed it was a tough run. The Kenyans have no training running the mountain race and this is the first such run for almost all of them.

They  are eager to run next year.