This archive report was first published on 30 August 2019.
Kenya's Titus Ekiru secured the country's fifth gold medal at the African Games, triumphing in the men's half marathon held in Rabat, Morocco on August 30, 2019.
Ekiru, the Milano City marathon champion, finished the inaugural 21km race in 1:01:42, ahead of Moroccan duo Reda Elaaraby (1:02:44) and Hamza Sahli (1:02:45) who took silver and bronze respectively.
Other Kenyans in the race, Morris Munene clocked 1:02:51 to finish fourth, while Panuel Mkungo placed fifth in 1:03:10.
Ekiru, who hails from Kapsabet, revealed that competing in Morocco with the high temperatures was tough but he was happy to win his maiden African Games title.
'I pulled away at the 10km and I realised nobody was trailing me closely that is when I made my mind to go for gold although it was very hot,' Ekiru said.
Meanwhile, in the women's race, Ethiopia swept the podium with Yalemzerf Densa (1:10:26), Degitu Asires (1:10:31), and Meseret Tola (1:12:08) clinching gold, silver, and bronze respectively.
Kenya's Hellen Jepkurgat clocked 1:12:29 to finish fifth, while her compatriot Grace Kimanzi came home sixth in 1:13:16.
