Kenyan Athletes Shine at Inaugural Rome Half Marathon
In a remarkable display of athletic prowess, Kenyan runners achieved a stunning double victory at the first-ever Rome Half Marathon, held on a picturesque Sunday morning through the historic streets of Italy’s capital.
The star of the day was Emmanuel Wafula, a talented 19-year-old who took control of the men’s race early on. He reached the 10 km mark in an impressive 28 minutes and 14 seconds, according to official race results. Wafula broke away from his fellow competitors, Gideon Kiprotich Rop and Antony Kimtai, making a bold solo run near the iconic Colosseum. He crossed the finish line with a stunning time of 59 minutes and 58 seconds, marking a significant personal achievement.
Rop finished strong in second place, clocking in at 1 hour and 0 minutes and 57 seconds, while Kimtai secured the third spot on the podium with a time of 1 hour and 2 minutes and 23 seconds. Notably, the first Italian finisher was Daniele D’Onofrio, who came in sixth with a commendable time of 1 hour and 5 minutes and 34 seconds, closely trailing behind European 5,000m champion Ilias Fifa, who finished in 1 hour and 5 minutes and 22 seconds.
On the women’s side, Nancy Sang claimed victory with an impressive personal best. Her time of 1 hour and 6 minutes and 52 seconds highlights her exceptional performance, especially considering her previous 10km record of 31 minutes and 39 seconds set last April, which ranks among the Top 30 world performances of the season. Following her were Fantu Worku Taye in second place with a time of 1 hour and 7 minutes and 30 seconds, and Evaline Chirchir, who finished third in 1 hour and 7 minutes and 47 seconds. Sofiia Yaremchuk completed the top finishers, securing seventh place with a time of 1 hour and 13 minutes and 28 seconds.
The race attracted an impressive turnout, with over 17,000 participants registered to take part, all while enjoying the stunning backdrop of Rome’s historic landmarks.