Approximately Sh25 million prize purse up for grabs at Chevron Houston Marathon

ATHLETICS Approximately Sh25 million prize purse up for grabs at Chevron Houston Marathon

Abigael Wafula 08:20 - 10.01.2024

A number of Kenyan athletes will jostle with the large field for a share of the spoils.

The 2024 season is slowly ramping up and this coming weekend has thrilling events lined up including the Chevron Houston Marathon that is scheduled for Sunday, January 14.

The event organisers have already announced a prize money purse of Ksh $150,000 (Ksh 23,737,500) with the winners of the race set to walk away with Ksh 4,747,500.

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In case an athlete breaks a course record, they will receive an additional Ksh 1,978,125 for their extra efforts. The men’s course record currently stands at 2:06:51 and is held by Ethiopia’s Tariku Jufar who set it in 2012.

The women’s course record stands at 2:19:12 and was set by Keira D’Amato, an American, who set it during the 2022 edition of the event.

Meanwhile, Vicoty Chepngeno, the half marathon course record holder has expressed interest in making her debut there, where she will seek to obliterate the course record and own the two fastest times over the course.

The race will be her season opener after a mixed season that saw her fail to meet some of her targets. She was intended to make her full marathon debut in the streets of Tokyo, Japan but unfortunately failed to finish the race and she returns with lofty ambitions.

The men’s race is headlined by the defending champion Dominic Ondoro of Kenya who put up a good fight and outsmarted Ethiopia’s Tsedat Ayana to second place.

The duo will renew their rivalry with the Ethiopian seeking for revenge. Another Ethiopian, Deresa Geleta will also be eyeing the coveted prize since he is the fastest in the field. The race day will also mark his 28th birthday and he will hope to reward himself with a win.

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