Kamworor Crushes RAK Half
Neither the years nor the serious accident he had in 2020 did not diminish him. Geoffrey Kamworor returned to the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon thirteen years after his senior debut here; and won again in 58 minutes 14 seconds, 40 seconds faster than in 2013. The oldest man in the elite field at 33, the Kenyan showed the youngsters how to do it. Of course, it helps to have a plan AND to have a friend as a pacemaker. But it was an object lesson in how to dominate a race and let your opponents know that if they’re going to beat you, they’re going to have to run out of skins.
Accordingly, Kamworor followed training partner Edwin Kipsaisak through a number of kilometers with times varying between 2min 44sec for the first and 2.45 to 2.49 for the next half-dozen, fast enough to keep the young chasers from trying to dislodge Kamworor from the shoulder of one of his training partners. When Kisaysak dropped the pace after 8k, the damage was done; Kamworor was always a step or two ahead of the field, going through the 10k in 27.42; and when he clocked 2min 42sec between 16 and 17k, the race was decided.
Bahrain’s Ethiopian Birhanu Balev and debutant Kenyan Gideon Rono stayed on his sled long enough to finish second and third in 58.23 and 58.38 respectively.
“I actually knew I was going to win around 14k,” Kamworor said afterward. “I knew I had prepared well, I came here wanting to run fast, and Edwin did a great job pacing. It’s great to come back and win faster.
The second part of his illustrious career seemed improbable six years ago when Kamvoror crashed a motorcycle while training alone in the dark and broke his tibia. The man who had won three consecutive world half-marathon titles and two world championships, and threatened to dethrone one of his training partners, Eliud Kipchoge, as the world’s best distance man, was off the surgery and physio tables for the next three years.
“I’m glad I’m fully recovered now,” said the man, who also won the New York Marathon twice before his accident. He also finished second in London 2023 after his resurrection; and that is his next goal. “Winning here again is very satisfying. Now I will go home and prepare for London in April. It’s going to be very tough competition, but that’s what I like. My personal best is 2.04, but I believe I can go faster.”
The ultimate goal is the Olympic marathon in Los Angeles in 2028. He will be 36 by then. But, as we mentioned yesterday, another man whose career was interrupted by injuries but who maintained the drive to return to the top, Carlos Lopez won the Olympic marathon at the age of 38.
In the women’s race, a pacemaker was omitted, but Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri was happy to do the job and perhaps sacrificed her chances of victory in doing so; because he was overtaken by Ethiopians Melknath Voodoo and debutant Asmerekh Anli at the two kilometer mark. As Enley later said, “I realized I could win by a kilometer. With a pacemaker the times would have been much faster, but it doesn’t matter because I’ll pass. The former African junior 3,000m champion dismissed the idea of running a marathon as early as 2023, saying: “This was my first half marathon. I want to do more before I think about the marathon. Voodoo was second and Shauri was third.
Results:
Men.
1. Jeffrey Volunteer KEN 58:14
2. Birhanu Balev BRN 58:23
3. Gideon Rono KEN 58:38
4. Jemal Mekonen ET 58:55
5. Samuel Masai KEN 58:59
6. Benjamin Ratsim TAN 59:56
7. Living Dinky ET 59:5
8. Yismaw Dillu ETH 60:05
9. Brian Kibor KEN 60:07
10. SO I’M HOME 60:20
Women.
1. Asmarech Anley ETH 67:22
2. Melknat Voodoo ET 67:27
3. Magdalena Shauri TAN 67:32
4. Jeska Chelangat KEN 67:33
5. Cynthia Chepkwoni KEN 67:35
6. Aselef Kassie ETH 67:47
7. View of Almae ETH 68.43
8. Margret Chacha KEN 68:57
9. Emebet Kebede ETH 69:11
10. Adise Cheklu ETH 70:01
For more information visit: https://rakhalfmarathon.com
