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Kenya’s Korir and Kacherian trail South Africa’s Mokoka

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Kenya’s Albert Korir and Philemon Kacherian placed second and third in the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon won by home boy Stephen Mokoka.

Korir clocked 2:09.02 for second place while Kacherian finished third in 2:09.13. Mokoka took the top honours after clocking 2:08.31 in Africa’s only IAAF Gold Label Marathon. Kenya’s Kipsang Kipkemoi (2:09.21) and Nicholas Rotich (2:12.39) rounded off the top five places.

Mokoka went through halfway in 1:04.43 with Korir, Kacherian, Kenneth Limo, Fikre Assefa and Kipkemoi all bunched together some four seconds ahead of Mokoka.

But the wily Mokoka judged his race to perfection as he started to take control of the leaders just before 30km, covered in 1:32.02.

Three kilometres later, he put in a surge that broke the back of the rest of the field. Mokoka covered the next 10km(30km to 40km) in 29:36 and the final 2km in 6:46.

Not only did Mokoka win the overall title but was also crowned South Africa champion.

At the finish line, the Kenyan contingent received a heroes welcome from Kenyans based in South Africa who were accompanied by Sanlam Kenya Group CEO Patrick Tumbo. In the women’s race, Namibia’s Helalia Johannes went one better than in 2017 to emerge top, breaking Kenya’s Isabella Ochichi’s record of 2:30.20 to cross the line in 2:29.28. Tanzania’s Failuna Mantanga also broke the previous record, clocking 2:30.00 for second spot with Ethiopia’s Urge Sokoka Diro rounding off the podium in 2:30.31.The race attracted close to 22 000 runners.

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