Kipkemboi, Seurey win Nairobi Standard Chartered Marathon

Robert Kipkemboi and Jelagat Seurey emerged victorious during the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon that was run in sweltering heat in the Kenyan capital city on Sunday.

Kipkemboi won the men' s event in a time of 2:13:27 to pocket the winner' s purse of 15,000 U.S. dollars.

He was followed by Mark Lokwanamoi who came second in a time of 2:14:08 whereas Hillary Kiplimo finished in third position in a time of 2:14:25.

Jelagat Seurey carried the honors in the women' s category after beating the field to finish the race in a time of 2:34:18, followed by Recho Kosgei who stopped the clock at 2:35:11. Rose Maru was third with a time of 2:37:22.

Seurey, who is a training partner of Olympic champion Jemima Sumgong, said she did not find the race challenging because she had trained hard for the event.

"I came fully prepared for the event. I made the break at the 35km mark after I saw my challengers struggling, a signal that it was time for me to go," she said during the post-race interview.

The mother of one who has never competed outside Kenya said the race has heralded her into big-time athletics.

"The win is a big morale-booster and I am now going to train my guns on next year' s London Marathon. It is also helpful to know that runners like the current men' s world record holder, Dennis Kimetto made his big break in the event and I want to follow his footsteps," Seurey said.

Over 20,000 runners took part in the 10th edition of the event whose proceeds are channeled to the bank' s "Seeing is Believing" initiative which is focused on eradication of avoidable blindness in Kenya.

Since inception of the event in 2003, more than one million U.S. dollars have been raised to sponsor cataract, glaucoma and trauma-related surgeries for 6,000 needy children.

The race lived to its billing of not having a runner defending title since it was launched. Endit