Muhitira, Nyirarukundo win Kigali HeForShe marathon

Men 1. Felicien Muhitira 1:00:382. Eric Sebahire 1:01:063. Alexis Nizeyimana 1:01:514. Robert Kajuga 1:01:525. Jean Hakizimana 1:02:02 Women 1. Salome Nyirarukundo 1:10:042. Clementine Mukandanga 1:13:213. Martha Yankurije 1:19:18 Felicien Muhitira clocked one hour and 38 seconds to claim a gold medal in the inaugural Kigali HeForShe Half-Marathon while Salome Nyirarukundo took the women’s title yesterday at Amahoro stadium. Muhitira, 21, beat off stiff challenge from rivals Eric Sebahire, who used 1:01:06 to win silver and Alexis Nizeyimana, who covered the 21.096km in 1:01:51 to settle for bronze. Fresh from competing at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China in August and All Africa Games in Congo-Brazzaville last month, Muhitira proved he has what it takes to be the country’s best in this distance and the 10,000 metres. “I’m very excited to win today, I trained a lot and I am glad the hard work I put in has paid off. It was a very tough race. Now I can focus on future competitions including the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships (set for March 27, 2016 in Wales),” Muhitira told Times Sport. Nyirarukundo checks her watch as she nears the finish line. (S. Ngendahimana) In women’s fray, youngster Nyirarukundo, set a new personal best of 1:10:04 to win gold, Clementine Mukandanga used 1:13:21 to take silver medal while Martha Yankurije claimed bronze in 1:19:18. “This win means a lot to me and my club, it makes me want more, which means working even harder,” said the 18-year old APR athletics club runner, who also won the Dar-es-Salaam Rotary half marathon last month. The first edition of Kigali HeforShe Half Marathon attracted a total of 518 athletes, including 304 in men’s half-marathon, 80 in women’s category and 134 runners in a 5km ‘Run for Fun’ open to amateurs of all ages in both genders. The winners in the half marathon were awarded a trophy, medal (gold) and Rwf250.000 cash prize, the silver medalists walked away with Rwf150.000 while bronze medalists took home Rwf100.000 each. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Muhitira, Nyirarukundo win Kigali HeForShe marathon