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Meru, April 4, 2026:<\/strong>\u00a0Defending champion\u00a0Maureen\u00a0Chebor\u00a0successfully\u00a0retained\u00a0her women\u2019s 10,000m crown at the\u00a0Betika\u00a0BingwaFest\u00a0National Finals in Meru, while\u00a0Robert Kiprop won the men\u2019s title\u00a0at Kinoru Stadium on Saturday, April 03.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chebor\u00a0crossed the line in 32:17.2 to claim back-to-back titles, holding off Phanuel Yego, who finished second in 32:20.7, while Miriam Chebet completed the podium in 32:34.9.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI am happy to defend the title I won in Siaya during the first edition.\u00a0Today\u2019s race was good and everything went on as I had planned. My focus now shifts to this year\u2019s Commonwealth Games,\u201d\u00a0Chebor\u00a0said after the win.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fresh from the Berlin Half Marathon last weekend where he set his person best over the 21-km distance, Kiprop stunned\u00a0Ebenyo\u00a0to take the\u00a0men\u2019s title over 10,000m after clocking 29:06.2.\u00a0Ebenyo\u00a0timed\u00a029:08.5\u00a0to finish second as\u00a0Mathew Kipkoech sealed third place in 29:09.8 after a closely fought contest that saw the leading trio separated by just over three seconds at the finish.\u00a0<\/p>\n Speaking after the win, Kiprop\u00a0said: \u201cI am grateful for the win. I just came from Berlin, where I ran\u00a0a personal best in the half-marathon\u00a0and I did not expect to win today as I still have some blisters from the race.\u00a0I am grateful to (Daniel)\u00a0Ebenyo\u00a0for pushing Kipkoech and I.\u00a0We\u00a0all train at\u00a0Iten,\u00a0and it was beautiful pushing each other.\u00a0For the last lap,\u00a0we were\u00a0three of us\u00a0at the front and we just decided to go for it as everyone fought for their position.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Chebor\u00a0and Kiprop took home KES 400,000 each while the second and third-place finishers\u00a0received\u00a0KES 350,000 and KES 300,000, respectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n The men\u2019s\u00a05,000m\u00a0also produced a thrilling contest, with\u00a0Mathew Kipsang\u00a0claiming victory in\u00a013:52.8, narrowly ahead of\u00a0Amason\u00a0Kireu, who finished second in\u00a013:53.55, while\u00a0Gilbert Kiprotich\u00a0secured third place in\u00a013:54.03\u00a0in another tightly contested race.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI have been working on my finishing and that worked very well for me today. It is something that I picked in Tokyo last year during the World Championships\u00a0because everyone was so good with their kick. The race started our\u00a0slowly\u00a0but I knew that would work to my advantage towards the end for that final sprint,\u201d Kipsang said.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the women\u2019s\u00a05,000m,\u00a0Miriam Chebet\u00a0delivered an outstanding performance to win in\u00a015:41.4\u00a0and\u00a0clinch\u00a0her second medal for the day, narrowly edging\u00a0Cynthia Chepngeno, who finished second in\u00a015:42.1.\u00a0Joyline\u00a0Chepkemoi\u00a0completed the podium\u00a0in\u00a015:43.1.\u00a0<\/p>\n Athletics\u00a0Kenya Athletes Representative Milcah\u00a0Chemos\u00a0hailed the competition, urging the organizers to continue into the third season in a bigger format.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI want to take this opportunity to thank\u00a0BingwaFest\u00a0for\u00a0coming up with\u00a0this event, which has really helped upcoming\u00a0athletes, especially those who do not have sponsorship. This year, the event has been of\u00a0great help\u00a0to our athletes as they prepared for various competitions, including the relays\u00a0in Botswana last week.\u00a0We have an idea of the shape in which the athletes are in as we\u00a0head for the AK\u00a0combined trials for the World Relays and African Senior Championships\u00a0next week.\u00a0I hope we will have\u00a0more events\u00a0next season.\u00a0Having\u00a0the\u00a03,000m steeplechase\u00a0could be beneficial, especially for the under-20 athletes,\u201d\u00a0Chemos\u00a0said.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the 1500m race, Patrick Rotich (3:41.0) led Dominic Kiptoo (3:41.2) and Mathew Kipsang (3:41.5) to glory in the men\u2019s final as Naomi Korir continued her fine running to win the women\u2019s race in 4:15.4 ahead of\u00a0Miriam Cherop (4:15.9) and Josephine\u00a0Sembeyo\u00a0(4:16.2).\u00a0<\/p>\n Korir then went on to win the 800m title, stopping the clock\u00a0in\u00a02:00.7to beat Vivian Chebet (2:02.1) and Miriam Chebet (2:02.9). In the men\u2019s race, Nicholas Kiplagat\u00a0(1:45.0)\u00a0finished first as Brian Kiptoo (1:45.4)\u00a0and Laban\u00a0Chepkwony\u00a0(1:45.5) finished second and\u00a0third\u00a0respectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n Allan Kipyegon (44.5) won the men\u2019s 400m ahead of George Mutinda (44.9) and Danson Kibet (45.7). In the women\u2019s race, Mercy Chebet\u00a0(52.5)\u00a0cut the tape first as\u00a0Gladys\u00a0Chepkemboi\u00a0(52.9)\u00a0and Lanoline Aoko\u00a0(53.6)\u00a0came home second and third, respectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 100m, Moses Wasike (9.9) beat Bonface\u00a0Mweresa\u00a0(10.0) and Ronald Koech (10.2)\u00a0in the men\u2019s final as\u00a0Millicent Ndoro (11.4) finished ahead of Lanoline Aoko (11.6) and Lucia Williams (11.9).\u00a0<\/p>\n In the 4X100m relays, Team Nakuru stormed to victory in 39.2\u00a0in the men\u2019s final as Team Siaya (39.4) and Team Mombasa (39.8) finished second and third.\u00a0Nakuru continued their dominance in the women\u2019s race as well with a time of 45.8 as Mombasa (46.8) and Machakos (47.6) finished second and third.\u00a0<\/p>\n Team Nakuru won the men\u2019s 4X400m as well\u00a0in a time of\u00a0(3:04.6)\u00a0followed by Team Meru (3:06.2) and Mombasa (3:07.9).\u00a0Team Machakos\u00a0(3:39.2)\u00a0won the women\u2019s battle\u00a0with Team Mombasa\u00a0(3:43.3)\u00a0and\u00a0Team\u00a0Mumias\u00a0(3:53.5).\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n