CHEROP AND CHERUTO EXTEND AFRICAN HEGEMONY IN MADRID

Alejandro Fernández – sixth with a personal best – and Rehima Serro, fourth, the first Spaniards to cross the finish line:

The Madrid Half Marathon weekend started in an unexpected way. All the runners who went to the Runner's Fair on Saturday to pick up their bibs could not enjoy the stands set up by the various exhibitors due to material theft and the consequent damage caused by intruders. However, this did not dampen the party planned for Sunday, as everyone was able to collect their bibs normally on a morning of great running atmosphere in the Casa de Campo.

On Sunday, an ideal day for running, nearly 20,000 registered participants of the Madrid Half Marathon gathered at the Puerta de Alcalá, bringing color and atmosphere to the capital in the early hours of this sporting Sunday. El Retiro Park thus became the epicenter of running this weekend in the capital.

Ugandan Alex Kapcheromit Cherop, with a time of 1h 02’ 29”, and Kenyan Linah Cheruto with 1h 10’ 42”, continued the African "hegemony" – now 15 years of wins – as winners of the Madrid Half Marathon.

Cherop had to wait for the final sprint to beat Kenyan Elijah Serem. The course record set by Peter Emase -1h 02’ - last year will have to wait another year.

In the women's category, Linah Cheruto won with the second best time ever in the half marathon with 1h 10’ 42” (Cinthia Limo's 1h 09’ 39” in 2014)

On the Spanish side, athlete Alejandro Fernández finished sixth, thanks to achieving his personal best in the distance, 1h 04’ 40”. The Galician, in full preparation for the Spanish Half Marathon Championship, remarkably met his goal of performing a test that would confirm him as the best Spaniard in this event. Fellow Spaniard Rehima Serro finished fourth with 1h 15’ 42” as she could not maintain the strong pace of Kenyans Cheruto and Zeddy Limo (who won last Sunday's Elche half marathon). The winner is preparing for the upcoming World Championships in Beijing in the 5000m event.

A fact provided by the A.D. Maratón organization is the participation of runners from all Spanish Autonomous Communities and from 66 countries, which makes this Half Marathon one of the most universal in our Spanish national calendar.

MEN'S PODIUM

-1 Alex Hapcheromit Cherop (UGA) 1h 02’ 29”

-2 Alijah Serem (KEN) 1h 02’ 33”

-3 Muhajr Haredin (ETI) 1h 03’ 22”

WOMEN'S PODIUM

-1 Linah Cheruto (KEN) 1h 10’ 42”

-2 Buzunesh Getachew (ETI) 1h12’ 06”

-3 Zeddy Limo (KEN) 1h 15’ 27”

FIRST SPANIARDS

Alejandro Fernández (ESP) was sixth with a personal best of 1h 04’ 40”, and Rehima Serro finished fourth with 1h 15’ 42”.

HALF MARATHON SHOE CATALOG HERE!

· You might also be interested in: MADRID HALF MARATHON – Be Urban Running Blog