Kenya’s Justin Kemboi won the men’s Two Oceans Marathon in a time of three hours nine minutes 19 seconds (3:19:19) in Cape Town on Saturday.
The 2014 champion Lebenya Nkoka of Lesotho was not far behind in 3:10:29 to take second, and 2016 Comrades winner David Gatebe of South Africa was third in 3:11:10.
The men went through the marathon mark in just over 2:18 with Nkoka and Kemboi running together at the front. Shortly thereafter, there was a timing mat in a narrow lane which the athletes had to run over which Kemboi darted towards. Nkoka missed the mat on the right hand side of the road, and suddenly Kemboi had opened a gap amid the confusion.
That proved to be the decisive move which determined the title, as Kemboi extended the gap in the final stages of the race before striding to a comfortable victory at the finish at University of Cape Town.
In the men’s half-marathon, David Manja claimed first place in 64:07, Lesotho’s Namakoe Nkhasi was second in 64:14 and Kenyan Bernard Kipkemoi ended third in 64:17.
In the women’s half, Nolene Conrad continued her good form in recent weeks with a win in 76:17. Zimbabwe’s Betha Chikanga was some way behind in second in a time of 76:42 with Kenyan Susy Chemaimak 77:01 taking third.
