IT may have been delayed, but Kenyan Richard Mutisya got his men’s 42K crown, while compatriot Joan Jeruto reigned in the women’s 42K division of the third Cebu City Marathon at the Cebu IT Park.
It started when Mutisya’s victory was challenged by another Kenyan John Kprop, who claimed to have arrived first in the 42K.
Kprop, who reached the finish line unnoticed in 2:22, stayed in the winner’s lounge confident of his victory until he heard the news from the host announcing the arrival of the first 42K finisher.
It was later find out after the organizers’ deliberation that Kprop had taken a wrong turn, cutting some two to three kilometers from the route and that got him disqualified.
“I am not happy. The official had confused me after he showed me the wrong way. He pointed me to the wrong direction,” said Kprop.
“I was shocked that he was here before me. He was behind me for almost 21 kilometers.
I know I was the winner,” said Mutisya, who beat David Kipuang and Fredrick Mathiu.
Mutisya shattered the 2:34 record of last year’s champion Benjamin Kipkazi in 2:28.41, which is 10 minutes off his personal best.
Mathiu, who belonged in the Ngong Hill Club with him back in Kenya, had been leading in the first 36 kilometers but got exhausted near the end.
From being a businessman from the Kenyan village Kangundo, Mutisya moved to Taiwan to compete in various races in Asia.
He was registered online by his brother Stephen, also a runner but based in United States, for his first race in Cebu. He previously joined the Subic Marathon in 2009 where he placed fifth.
His next race will be the Kaohsiung Marathon on Feb. 5 where he will try to improve on his third place finish last year.
Majority of the Kenyans dominated the standings and only two locals – eighth placer Noel Tillor and 10th placer Dandy Maturan – made it to the top ten. (MORE)
