Kosgei leads Kenyan sweep in Bogota Marathon

Brigid Kosgei crosses the finish line to win the 2017 Bogota Marathon in Colombia. PHOTO/IAAF

BOGOTA, Colombia, Jul 31- On her debut in the Bogota Marathon, an IAAF Golden Label race, Brigid Kosgei led three of her compatriots to cross the finish line in the top four positions with the 37-year old clocking 1:12:17 to beat compatriot Veronicah Nyaruai Wanjiru by 26 seconds.

The lead pair, along with Ruth Chepngetich, Mary Wacera and Meskerem Assefa ran together through five kilometres in 17:14 and through ten in just under 34 minutes.

Given the Colombian capital’s 2640m above sea level altitude, it was an honest pace, keeping an assault on Susan Chepkemei’s 1:10:39 course record, set back in 2004, within the realm of possibility.

By 15 kilometres, it became a two-woman race with Nyaruai running nine seconds clear. But Kosgei was just biding her time. She made her decisive move just after 20 kilometres to cruise through the finish unchallenged.

Chepngetich was third in 1:13:57 with Wacera fourth in 1:14:36.

In the men’s race, 2015 New York Marathon champion Stanley Biwott finished fourth in a race won by Olympic silver medalist, Ethiopian Feyisa Lilesa who was also making his debut in the Colombian capital.

Lilesa won by nine seconds over Peter Cheruiyot in 1:04:30.

A pack of nine ran through the first five kilometres in just under 15:50, but that was reduced to five by 10 kilometres, reached in 30:20.

By 15 kilometres, this too became a two-man race with Lilesa and Cheruiyot at the front. Lilesa then made his move after the 20-kilometre point en route to his comfortable victory.

Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata was third, another minute back in 1:05:40, with Biwott fourth in 1:05:54, in his comeback race from injury.

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