NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 6 – World record holder for the men’s 10k road race, Rhonex Kipruto, was delighted to recover from a flight hitch in Qatar to set the third fastest time on his way to victory at the ACJ Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta.
Rhonex timed 27:25 in first place as another Kenyan, former world half marathon record holder Kibiwott Kandie, followed closely in 27:34.
Ethiopian Jemal Yimer finished third in 27:49.
“I feel great to have won this race today. It is quite a relief considering the challenges we experienced with the flight from Doha. Obviously, the win would not have been possible without my coach and my management team who have supported me along the way. I am also grateful to the race organiser for seeing it fit to invite me for this race once again,” Rhonex said.
The 2020 Valencia 10k champion’s win continues his love affair with the race after setting a course record of 27:01 on his way to victory in 2019.
Crucially, Rhonex will be happy to have gotten back his groove after missing out on the team to represent Kenya at the World Championship and Commonwealth Games.
This was after he finished sixth at the national trials at Moi Stadium, Kasarani, clocking 27:48.48 in the men’s 10,000m.
After a long time out of the international limelight, second-placed Kandie will also be glad to have earned another podium finish in a month after coming top in the men’s 10,000m at the national trials for Oregon and Birmingham.
Rhonex was glad to have competed against Kandie and hailed him for a great race.
“This was one of the beautiful things about today’s race…competing against him on an international stage,” Rhonex, who set a world record of 26:24 in Valencia in 2020, said.
He will now be retreating to training in preparation for more road races as Kandie prepares to fly the country’s flag at the Commonwealth Games.
