John Komen heads off Joel Kimurer in 2009 Turin Half Marathon (© Chiara Calliero)
Turin, ItalyThere was double Kenyan triumph at the Turin Half Marathon Gran Premio Città di Moncalieri held on Sunday 20 September 2009.
2200 participants took part in the 10th edition of the race which witnessed a dramatic sprint finish in the men’s race between Kenyans John Komen and Joel Kimurer and resulted in a course’s record.
Komen won in 1:01:56, just ahead of Kimurer. The two had broken away from the lead group that had been initially formed by the winner of last year’s race, Elisha Meli, and the Ukrainian Vasyl Matviychuk.
A knee injury did not permit Meli to follow the pace at the head of the race, and so Matviychuk finished third in 1:02:16 with Meli eventually home a distant fourth (1:06:14). The best Italian was Federico Simionato, who finished in fifth place in 1:06:36.
Kenyan Agnes Kiprop, who won the Turin Marathon, last April in 2:26:22, also secured the women’s half distance title on Sunday in 1:09:54. Almost sixty seconds after Kiprop arrived Florence Chepsoi (1:10:45) finished in an equally solo run second pace.
In third place, on the way back from injury came Italian athlete, Giustina Menna, in 1:16:34.
Alessandra Ramella Pairin – Turin Marathon – for the IAAF
RESULTS
Men
1. John Komen KEN 01:01:56
2. Joel Kimurer 01:01:59
3. Vasyl Matviychuk 01:02:16
4. Meli Elisha 01:06:14
5 . Federico Simionato 1:06:36
Women
1. Agnes Kiprop KEN 01:09:54
2. Florence Chepsoi 01:10:45
3. Giustina Menna 01:16:34
