wah RonRon you damn zhun! how much did you win?
Kenyans win StanChart Marathon
By Wayne Chan | Posted: 04 December 2011 1208 hrs
Kenya's Charles Mwai Kanyao wins 2011 Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore.
SINGAPORE: Kenya's distance runners have swept the top spots in this year's Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore.
The men made a clean sweep, with Charles Mwai Kanyao crossing the finish line in 2 hours 14 minutes and 32.07 seconds.
Charles Mwai Kanyao said: "When I saw the finishing line, I said let me die. Because it's the first time I (have) won in (a) marathon. I used to run but did not win anywhere. It's my luck today."
About five seconds behind was Luke Kipkemoi Chelimo, in 2 hours 14 minutes and 37.35 seconds.
Third was John Kelai in 2 hours 15 minutes.
Last year's winner, Kenneth Mburu Mungara, also from Kenya, dropped out after 21 kilometres as he was not feeling well.
Leading the Kenyan pack for women was Irene Jerotich Kosgei, who clocked 2 hours 36 minutes to defend her title.
Ethiopia's Roman Gebregessesse broke the Kenyan dominance, finishing second in 2 hours 37 minutes.
Kenya's Magadelene Mukunzi finished third in 2 hours 38 minutes.
The first-placed runners of the men's and women's races took home US$50,000 each.
The local champion is Mok Ying Ren, who clocked 2 hours 46 minutes to defend his title.
For the local women's title, Qi Hui finished in 3 hours 6 minutes.
A record 65,000 runners took part in the event over different distances.
About 20,000 of them ran the full marathon of 42.195 kilometres, which started at 5am in Orchard Road and covered places such as the newly-opened Bay East interim garden, East Coast Park and Marina Bay.
Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Chan Chun Sing believes the mix of elite and novice runners offers a special running experience.
Mr Chan said: "The front runners, the casual runners, everybody to come forth, because at the end of the day when you run a marathon, it's not a race against other people per se.
"It's also a race with yourself. A lot of it has a lot to do with your own internal discipline."
- CNA/ck
Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore held on December 4 2011 (Photo: Jeremy Chen).
Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore full marathon of 42.195 kilometres started at 5am at Orchard Road.