Chepngetich pockets Sh28m with Nagoya marathon title
By Amos.Abuga, March 14, 2022
World marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich has claimed the largest first prize in the world of marathon running after winning the Nagoya Women’s Marathon on Sunday.
The prize money for first place at the 2022 race was increased to Shs 28M making it the most richly rewarded marathon in the world.
Chepngetich finished ahead of Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter and Japan’s Yuka Ando who settled for second and third positions respectively.
The 2019 world marathon champion and 2021 Chicago Marathon winner, crossed the line at Vantelin Dome Nagoya in 2:17.18 more than a minute ahead of Salpeter, the winner of the 2020 Tokyo Marathon. Ando clocked 2:22:22.
Before the Nagoya race, Chepngetich had won five of the seven marathons she had completed, and still finished at the podium in her other two. 2019 was the best year for the marathoner starting with her personal best of 2:17:08 in Dubai in January, then in August where she won the world title in Doha.
Like many athletes, she had a low-key year in 2020 but still finished third at the London Marathon in 2:22:05. Last year she failed to finish the Olympic marathon but rebounded two months later by taking victory in Chicago in 2:22:31.