Kenyan, Ethiopian runners win 2024 Taipei Marathon

Taipei, Dec. 15 (CNA) Brimin Kipkorir of Kenya and Amid Fozya Jemal of Ethiopia won the men's and the women's categories, respectively, in the annual Taipei Marathon on Sunday, which drew around 28,000 participants.

Kipkorir finished the 42.2-kilometer run in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 41 seconds, which was around 2.5 minutes off the event's all-time record of 2:09:18 set by his countryman Paul Lonyongata in 2020.

Meanwhile, Jemal -- who also won the New Taipei Wan Jin Shi Marathon in March -- finished with a first-place time of 2:32:47, about seven minutes behind the race's women's record of 2:25:55.

For winning the race, Kipkorir and Jemal will each receive a first-place prize of US$67,500, according to organizers.

The fastest Taiwanese runner in the men's category was Chou Ting-yin (周庭印), who set a personal best time of 2:21:17.

In a post-race interview, Chou said he had fared poorly in the Chicago Marathon in October despite entering the race in peak condition.

After returning to Taiwan, he said, he had struggled with training, only to surprise himself Sunday by setting a personal record.

In the women's category, Hsieh Chien-ho (謝千鶴) finished first among domestic competitors with a time of 2:51:12.

The Taipei Marathon was established in 1986, and, following a multiyear hiatus due to the construction of the Taipei Metro, has been held annually since 2001.

The marathon begins at Taipei City Hall and follows Renai Road west toward the Presidential Office and Ximen. It then continues up Zhongshan North Road and crosses the Keelung River, which it follows east to Nangang Exhibition Center, before looping back and ending at Taipei Municipal Stadium.

The marathon is one of two World Athletics Gold Label Road Races in Taiwan. The other is the New Taipei Wan Jin Shi Marathon.