Kenya\u2019s Alex Nzioka Matata and Miriam Chebet delivered record-breaking performances at the Yangzhou Half Marathon earlier today morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both athletes set course records, marking the third consecutive year that Kenyan runners have swept the elite titles in Yangzhou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Matata successfully defended his title in emphatic fashion, taking 20 seconds off the course record he set last year by clocking 59:11. The 27-year-old\u2019s winning time also improved his PB of 59:20, set in Ras Al-Khaimah last year, and stands as a Chinese all-comers\u2019 record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Matata now owns the three fastest half marathon performances ever recorded on Chinese soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Victory in Yangzhou continues a remarkable run of form for the Kenyan, coming just two weeks after his win at the Meishan Renshou Half Marathon in 59:51. Still relatively new to the international circuit, Matata made his debut less than two years ago and has now broken 60 minutes in 10 of his 13 half marathon appearances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ethiopia\u2019s Jemal Yimer finished second in 59:30, while Kenya\u2019s Geoffrey Toroitich Kipchumba completed the podium in 59:57.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chebet was similarly impressive in the women\u2019s race, pulling away in the latter stages to win in 1:06:27, taking 38 seconds off the course record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Kenyan finished just 20 seconds shy of her lifetime best of 1:06:07, set in Istanbul last year, as she continued her strong start to the season, following a 30:08 performance over 10km in Valencia in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ethiopia\u2019s Ftaw Zeray Bezabh took second place in 1:07:02, with Kenya\u2019s Gladys Chepkurui finishing third in 1:07:15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Women<\/strong>: 1. Miriam Chebet (KEN) 1:06:27; 2. Ftaw Zeray Bezabh (ETH) 1:07:02; 3. Gladys Chepkurui (KEN) 1:07:15; 4. Wede Kefale Belew (ETH) 1:07:38; 5. Megertu Alemu Kebede (ETH) 1:09:42; 6. Stella Chesang (UGA) 1:09:45<\/p>\n\n\n\n Men<\/strong>: 1. Alex Nzioka Matata (KEN) 59:11; 2. Jemal Yimer Mekonen (ETH) 59:30; 3, Geoffrey Toroitich Kipchumba (KEN) 59:57; 4, Santiago Catrofe (URU) 1:00:58; 5, Solomon Kirwa Yego (KEN) 1:02:07; 6 Jiang Fakun (CHN) 1:03:09<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kenya\u2019s Alex Nzioka Matata and Miriam Chebet delivered record-breaking performances at the Yangzhou Half Marathon earlier today morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11025,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[50],"class_list":["post-11024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsbeat","tag-athletics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t