Luke Kibet wins US$35,000 at Singapore Marathon (plus US$15,000 for showing up)

By Les Tan

The Padang, Sunday, December 7, 2008 – Pre-race favourite Luke Kibet of Kenya won the Singapore Marathon in 2 hours 13 minutes 1 second yesterday at the Padang to break the course record of 2:14:23.

His nearest challenger was fellow Kenyan Johnstone Chepkwony in 2:15:12 while Amos Matui, also of Kenya, was three seconds behind in third (2:15:15).

Kibet ran with the lead pack but by the time he hit the 30km-mark in 1:34:21, he was 51 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger Matui who at that stage was running second, just ahead of Chepkwony.

Kibet was never threatened and finished the clear winner 2 minutes 11 seconds ahead of Chepkwony who edged out Matui by three seconds.

Last year, Kenyan Elijah Mbongo won the race in a then course record of 2:14:23 and he finished 13th this year in 2:21:21.

In the women’s race, Kenyan Edith Masai won in 2:34:15, almost two minutes ahead of Russian Silvia Skvortsova (2:37:10). Rose Chesire of Kenya was third in 2:42:39.

According to runpix.net, 12,393 ran the 42km marathon at 5.30am yesterday out of 15,251 who registered for the race. In last year’s marathon, about 12,000 registered to start the 42km race.

Kibet’s win earned him US$35,000, on top of the US$15,000 in appearance fees for coming to Singapore to race. Masai’s winning run also earned her US$35,000 in prize money.

Event sponsor Standard Chartered Bank pumped in close to S$2 million into the race.

N.B. The race is also known as the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon

Singapore Marathon Results

Male Category
name (bib #) – 10km split/21km/30km/Chip Finish

Luke Kibet (2)- 31:44/1:07:02/1:34:21/2:13:03/2:13:01
Johnstone Chepkwony (7) – 31:43/1:07:02/1:35:12/2:15:12
Amos Matui (3) – 31:44/2:07:03/1:35:09/2:15:15
Rogath John Steven (25) – 31:43/1:07:02/1:35:53/2:17:39
Victor Mangusho (10)- 31:45/1:07:45/1:37:08/2:17:57
Saamy Tum (14) – 31:44/1:07:45/1:37:09/2:18:06
Francis Kiprop (6) – 31:44/1:07:45/1:37:09/2:18:26
Joel Kimaru Keiyo (17)- 31:45/1:07:04/1:35:10/2:18:31
Evans Kipkogei (13) – 32:16/1:08:54/1:38:05/2:19:17
Tariku Jafur (28)- 31:43/1:07:46/1:38:05/2:19:20

Female Category
name (bib #) – 10km split/21km/30km/Chip Finish

Edith Masai (106) – 36:45/1:18:52/1:51:57/2:34:15
Silvia Skvortsova (101) – 37:20/1:18:52/1:51:58/2:37:10
Rose J Chesire (109) – 36:46/1:19:47/1:54:35/2:42:39
Irene Cherop (111) – 36:45/1:19:48/1:54:36/2:45:32
Gebre Roman Gesesse (113) – 36:46/1:19:42/1:54:36/2:46:11
Madina Biktagirova (102) – 39:20/1:21:55/1:57:33/2:46:55
Zhang Junli (150) – 38:19/1:22:04/1:57:53/2:49:23
Lena Gavelin (157) – 37:35/1:21:58/1:59:04/2:50:45
Helen Stanton (400) – 40:26/1:25:44/2:02:08/2:50:46
Seki Kimura (153) – 38:20/1:23:55/2:00:49/2:52:20

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Race Facts and Figures

Elite Men Runners
(Name-Year of Birth-Country-Bib #-Personal Best Time-Achievements)

Tariku JUFAR-1984-ETHIOPIA-1-PB: 2h 08:10min-2nd, World Road
Luke KIBET-1973-KENYA-2-PB: 2h 08:52min-World Champion
Patrick Tambwe NGOLE-1975-FRANCE-3-PB: 2h 08:55min-7th, Singapore Marathon 07
Amos MATUI-1976-KENYA-4-PB: 2h 10:32min-1st, Singapore Marathon 05+07
David CHERUIYOT-1970-KENYA-5-PB: 2h 10:36min-3rd, Singapore Marathon 07
Michael KIMANI-1978-KENYA-6-PB: 2h 11:37min-5th, Singapore Marathon 07
Evans KIPKOGEI-1984-KENYA-7-PB: 2h 11:56min
Gebremedihin LEGESSE-1982-ETHIOPIA-8-PB: 2h 12:01min
Victor MANGUSHO-1973-KENYA-9-PB: 2h 12:29min-2nd, Singapore Marathon 03
Francis KIPROP-1984- KENYA-11-PB: 2h 13:00min-4th, Singapore Marathon 07
Sammy TUM-1984-KENYA-12-PB: 2h 13:00min
Duncan Cheruiyot KOECH-1974-KENYA-13-PB: 2h 13:12min
Barnabas KENDUIYWO-1974-KENYA -14-PB: 2h 13:23min-3rd, Singapore Marathon 03
Mikhail KHOBOTOV-1973-RUSSIA-15-PB: 2h 13:46min
Elijah MBOGO-1988-KENYA-16-PB: 2h 14:23min-1st, Singapore Marathon 07 record
Rogart John STEPHEN-1984-TANZANIA-19-PB: 1h 00:52min
Charles NGOLEPUS-1982-KENYA-20-PB: 1h 01:04min
Stanley Kipkosgei SALIL-1986-KENYA-21-PB: 1h 01:38min
Johnstone CHEPKWONY-1984-KENYA-22-PB: 1h 01:45min
Joel Kimaru KEIYO-1984-KENYA-23-PB: 1h 02:14min
Kenneth MUTAI-1977-KENYA-24-PB: 1h 03:15min
Nelphat SIRMA-1978-KENYA-25-PB: 2h 18:01min
Dida GSIHU-ETHIOPIA-26-PB: 1h 01:53min

Elite Women Runners
(Name-Year of Birth-Country-Bib #-Personal Best Time-Achievements)

Madina BIKTAGIROVA-1964-RUSSIA-1-PB: 2h 24:26min-7th, Singapore Marathon 07
Banuelia KATESIGWA-1977-TANZANIA-2-PB: 2h 24:59min
Irina PERMITINA-1968-RUSSIA-3-PB: 2h 26:51min
Edith MASAI-1967-KENYA-4-PB:2h 27:06min-2nd, Singapore Marathon 07/3xWX
Silvia SKVORTSOVA-1974-RUSSIA-5-PB: 2h 27:07min-3rd, Singapore Marathon 06
Irina SAFAROVA-1969-RUSSIA-6-PB:-2h29:20min
Rose K. NYANGACHA-1976- KENYA-7-PB: 2h 29:29min- 2nd & 4th, Singapore Marathon 04+05
Irene CHEROP-1980-KENYA-9-PB: 2h 35:53min
Dianah C. KIPKOECH-1984-KENYA-10-PB: 2h 37:02min
Alem Ashebier GEBREZGI-1985-ETHIOPIA-11-PB: 2h 37:09min-1st, Singapore Marathon 07
Rose J. CHESIRE-1984-KENYA-12-PB: 2h 40.10min
Gebre Roman GESESSE-ETHIOPIA-13-PB: 1h 11:00min

10km runners get to run on the Benjamin Sheares Bridge for the first time in event

2008 – 49,194 (42km – 15,251; 21km – 11,806; 10km – 20,084; Kids Dash – 2044; Wheelchair – 9)
2007 – 40,500 (42km – 12,000)
2006 – 31,000
2005 – 21,000
2004 – 15,000
2003 – 10,000
2002 – 6,300

Distance Between Water Points: 1.5km

Distance between Isotonic stations: 3km

Related stories:
Ex-national sailor Ben Tan is third-fastest Singapore marathoner after coming in behind Daniel Ling and M. Rameshon
With 50,000 signing up for the Singapore Marathon, you might not actually be running
Singapore Marathon gets double the money. Do we get double the space?
Daniel Ling – the marathon king
Reflections on the Singapore Marathon
"My name is Vivian – with an ´a'."

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