Zimbabwe’s Godwin Katarurak followed closely in second place with a time of 2:11:02, earning R40,000.

Although Katarurak finished second, he also triumphed in the Southern Region Marathon Championships, which was part of the Durban International Marathon.

Zimbabwe’s Blessing Waison secured third place in 2:11:51, while Tumelo Motlagale became the first South African to finish, taking fourth in 2:12:42.

Despite strong efforts, local runners struggled to match the pace of the Kenyan and Ethiopian competitors on the day.

The race took place in perfect weather conditions, with no wind to trouble the athletes.

Kirui, a specialist in the 5000m and 10,000m events, led from the front and delivered a dominant performance to claim his first victory. “I feel great, and I thank God for this day,” he said.

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“Three months ago, I was battling a tendon injury and feared the worst. I focused on my recovery, and today I’m proud to have come through it and won a big prize.”

Kiprui frequently looked over his shoulder after the 25km mark, even though he had a clear lead.

Struggling with an injury, he was worried the chasing pack might close the gap.

Despite running solo for much of the race and setting the pace early on, he never truly felt at ease.

“Yes, that’s true — I was concerned they would catch me,” he admitted.

“It was a tough race, and I only started to believe I could win at around 40km. I was feeling tired, and the pacemaker’s speed wasn’t quite fast enough for me.”

Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Emane Seifu Hayile claimed victory in the women’s race with a time of 2:31:45.

She was closely followed by Namibia’s Alina Armas, who finished second in 2:32:34, while Zimbabwe’s Fortunate Chidzivo secured third place with a personal best of 2:33:30.

“I’m really happy with the win,” said Hayile after crossing the finish line.

“I want to thank God for allowing me to run in such beautiful weather. I managed to run a personal best, and that means a lot to me. I’ll talk to my team about plans for the next race, but for now, I’m exhausted and overjoyed with this result.”

Finished ACC Mens Challenger Cup

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