Kenya’s Vibian Chepkirui and Leonard Lang’at are the winners of the 38th edition of the Vienna City Marathon that was held yesterday in Vienna, Austria.

Vibian who was poised for the course record could not maintain the pace as she slowed down at the 40km mark which was slower by a minute to the race course record.

The Kenyan soldiered on despite slowing down to cut the tape in 2:24.29.

Ethiopia’s Meseret Dinke came home in second place in 2:25.31 with race favorite and with the fastest on paper, Gelete Burka closing the first three podium finishes in 2:25.38.

In the men’s race, Lang’at who had finished in second place was reinstated to first position after Derara Hurisa was disqualified.

“The initial winner of the Vienna City Marathon had to be disqualified for wearing shoes which are not compliant with the rules,” explained the Organisers.

Ethiopia’s Derara Hurisa had crossed the finish line in a time of 2:09.22. Another Ethiopian, Betesfa Getahun, who finished third in 2:09.42 was elevated to second.

Elsewhere, Kenya’s Agnes Tirop took 28 seconds off the long-standing women’s -only record for 10km at the Adizero Road to Records event in Hetzogenaurach, Germany yesterday.

Tirop timed 31.19 a new record in 10km. The men’s race was won by Kenya’s Rhonex Kipruto in 26.42.

Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi crossed the line in second place three seconds later while Caroline Kipkirui closed the podium three in 31:28.

Netsanet Gudeta and Pauline Kamulu took fourth and fifth place in 31:53 and 32:16 respectively.

In the half marathon category, Kenya’s duo of Brenda Jepleting and Abel Kipchumba  took top honours.

Jepleting took charge of the race at the 15k mark and never looked back to cross the line in a lifetime best 1:06:52.

In the men’s race, Kipchumba led 1-2-3 Kenyan podium finishes as he destroyed the fastest three race favorites that included Alfred Barkach from Kenya of PB 59:46, Girma Bekele Gebre from Ethiopia who was third at the 2019 New York City Marathon and Teklemariam Medhin from Eritrea who had a PB of 61:47.

Kipchumba gave a powerful kick in the 100m to cut the tape in a personal best of 58:48, securing the world’s fastest men’s half marathon time of 2021.

Finally in Britain, Helen Obiri emerged victorious in Newcastle, England, winning the 40th edition of the Great North Run in a time of 1 hour 7 minutes 42 seconds on Sunday 12 September 2021.

Another Kenyan, Sharon Lokedi was fourth in a time of 1:09.53 while Britain’s Ellish McColgan, daughter of the great Liz McColgan  timed 1:07.48 for second place with Charlotte Purdue third in 1:08.49.

The men’s race was won by Briton Marc Scott in a time of 1 hour 1 minute 22 seconds with Kenya’s Edward Cheserek claiming second place in 1 hour 1 minute 31 seconds as Galen Rupp of the USA took third place in 1 hour 1 minute 51 seconds.