Chebet turns the tables in windy Istanbul

Chebet clocked 66:07 and achieved the fourth fastest winning time ever in Istanbul while Chelangat was six seconds behind with 66:13. Judy Kemboi made it an all-Kenyan podium with 67:47.

The Türkiye Is Bankasi Istanbul Half Marathon was staged by organiser Spor Istanbul just four days after an earthquake had shaken the city. There were no casualties and no significant damage so that the race could go ahead as planned. A record number of around 16,000 runners started this World Athletics Gold Label Road Race. This figure includes athletes who competed in the 10k race staged parallel to the half marathon.

Alex Matata won the men’s race in dominant style. The Kenyan stormed to a fine 59:40 despite windy conditions and achieved the third fastest winning time in the history of the race. He was over a minute ahead with Ethiopia’s Berehanu Tsegu taking second place in 60:47. Shadrack Kipkurui of Kenya was third in 61:28.

Matata made a surprisingly early move. A large leading group of twelve athletes plus pacemakers had passed the 5k mark in 14:37. Matata probably felt that this was too slow for him since he wanted to improve his 59:20 PB to a sub 59:00 time. The 27 year-old took the lead around the 7k mark and soon opened a significant gap. At the 10k mark the clock showed 28:41 which pointed to a 60:29 finishing time. After a 15k split time of 42:39 he made up more time in the final six kilometers and won in 59:40. In fine temperatures of 14 Celsius but quite some wind it was amazing that Matata was able to run a much quicker second half and achieved a time well under one hour despite the slow start.

“It was really windy so I was not able to run sub 59:00 which was my goal today. But I won the race which I did not really expect,“ said Alex Matata, who won a second major half marathon this year after taking Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates in February. While Berehanu Tsegu (60:47) and Shadrack Kipkurui (61:28) followed in second and third there was a fine fifth place for Turkey’s Sezgin Atac who was the fastest European runner with 61:49. “This was only my second half marathon and I am very happy. Without the wind I might have run faster,“ said Sezgin Atac, who trained in Ethiopia to prepare for the race in Istanbul.

Defending champion Sheila Chelangat made a very early move in the women’s race. Last year’s winner started to break away around the 5k mark. She passed this point in 15:28 which pointed towards a fast 65:20 finishing time. The Kenyan then reached 10k in 31:05 and was eight seconds ahead of Miriam Chebet. Judy Kemboi, who was the fastest on the start list with 65:43, was another 13 seconds behind and soon out of contention for victory.

But Miriam Chebet, who was the seventh fastest on the start list with 66:43, closed the gap to Sheila Chelangat. At 13k the two Kenyans were together in the lead and then passed the 15k point in 46:48. With four kilometers to go Chelangat took the lead again and dropped her rival. But on the final kilometer the 22 year-old Miriam Chebet came back once more and then passed the defending champion with less than 50 meters to go. “I am really happy that I managed to win. The wind was not a problem for me, but it was hard to catch Sheila on the last few meters of the race,“ said Miriam Chebet, who celebrated her biggest career win in Istanbul and improved her personal best significantly from 66:43 to 66:07. Behind Sheila Chelangat (66:13) and Judy Kemboi (67:47) another four women ran sub 69:00 times.