Bedan Karoki made his marathon debut at Fukuoka and returns to Japan in 2019 hoping to clinch the Tokyo crown
NYAHURURU, Kenya, Dec 31 – Bedan Karoki, the 2016 World Half Marathon silver medalist says his biggest target for the 2019 season is clinching the Tokyo Marathon title when he lines up for the race in the Japanese capital next March.
Karoki, a usual half marathoner has been slowly transiting to the full marathon and his best result was in 2017 when he finished third at the London Marathon.
“Right now I am preparing for the cross country season as well as the Tokyo marathon in March. I am expecting to perform better this year. 2018 Wasn’t very bad though there were struggles here and there especially because I had to struggle with some tendon injuries. But now I am back to full fitness and working towards the new season,” Karoki said on Sunday in Nyahururu.
The 28 year old wound up the year by winning the inaugural Nyahururu Athletics Kenya branch championship held in Nyahururu town on Sunday
Karoki hit the finishing line by clocking 28:22 to beat Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion Emmanuel Bett who finished second in 28:23:2.
Bett, just like Karoki is already shifting his focus on a better 2019 and his target remains getting into the Kenyan team for the 2019 World Cross Country Championship to be held in Denmark.
In the women’s race, Beatrice Chekemoi and Esther Wairimu took the top two slots clocking 33:34:00 and 34:44:07 respectively, while Magrete Akidor emerged third in 35:02:06 in the race that saw over 200 athletes participate.
The athletes braved the scorching sun that glared over the skies in Nyahururu town to finish the race that started at Mairo Inya area along the Nyahururu-Nyeri road and ended at Nyahururu town.
-By Peter Mwangi
