Half marathon course record falls in Tallinn

Kenyan runners dominated the Swedbank Tallinn Marathon half marathon, with both the men’s and women’s winners setting outstanding course records.

More than 5,000 participants took part in the 21.1-kilometre Swedbank Tallinn Marathon half marathon, which started this morning at 9 a.m. from Falgi Road at the foot of Toompea’s Pikk Hermann Tower. The four fastest finishers were all Kenyan runners. For the first time, a half marathon distance was completed in under one hour in Estonia. Vincent Kiptoo won in a new outstanding course record of 59:48, followed by Johana Erot in 1:00:51. Enos Kipruto Saat finished third in 1:01:22, ahead of Edwin Kiprop Kiptoo in fourth place with 1:01:49. The fastest Estonian runner was Leonid Latsepov, who finished fifth in 1:04:20.

Kenyan runners also took a one-two finish in the women’s half marathon. Regina Wambui Ndungu, who finished seventh overall, claimed victory and set another remarkable Tallinn half marathon course record of 1:07:35. Winsam Jerono finished second in 1:10:29, while Moroccan runner Soukaina Atanane took third in 1:11:24. Ronja Hofstetter of Switzerland finished fourth in 1:14:36, followed by Lene Nylund of Norway in fifth in 1:22:51. The fastest Estonian woman was Pille Hinn, who finished sixth in 1:23:02.