Cape Town Marathon

Marathon debutant Lydia Simiyu stunned a quality field to win the women’s Cape Town Marathon in a new course record. Photo: Supplied

Cape Town Marathon result: Kenyans dominate women’s podium

Marathon debutant Lydia Simiyu stunned a quality field to win the women’s Cape Town Marathon in a new course record.

Cape Town Marathon

Marathon debutant Lydia Simiyu stunned a quality field to win the women’s Cape Town Marathon in a new course record. Photo: Supplied

Marathon debutant Lydia Simiyu stunned a quality field to win the women’s Cape Town Marathon in a new course record.

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Unheralded 25-year-old Simiyu made history after smashing the course record and running the fastest ever women’s marathon time in South Africa, on debut.
 
Simiyu came into the race as a novice and a dark horse as very little was known of her.

Prior to today’s race, she had only ever run in two road races, both Half Marathons, and boasted a best time of 1:10.17.
 
But Simiyu ran the race like a veteran, letting Gerda Steyn do all the work and pouncing in the latter stages of the race.

Her opposition should have been wary of her though, as she trains with Purity Changwony and Ruth Chebitok in Kapsabat. Her training partners have marathon times of 2:22 and 2:23 to their names, respectively.
 
Steyn pushed the pace from 10km and at one stage the projected winning time was a sub 2:25, but in the end Steyn’s aggressive front running cost her as she fell off the pace at around 38km.

That left Simiyu, fellow Kenyan, Lucy Karimi, who had the fastest marathon time in the field (2:24.24 – Geneva, 2021) and Ethiopian Aynalem Teferi to battle out the podium positions.
 
Simiyu had the freshest and strongest legs and started a concerted push for home from around 40km.

Immediately, Teferi fell off the pace and Karimi was desperately hanging on to Simiyu’s coat tails.

But Simiyu surged again with 600m to go and Karimi had to concede.

Simiyu crossed the finish line outside the Cape Town Athletics Stadium in 2:25.44, some 11 seconds ahead of Karim (2:25.55) with Teferi rounding off the podium (2:26.12).
 
For Simiyu this was the richest pay day of her fledgling career: she earned R200 000 for the win, and also pocketed an additional R100 000 for breaking the existing course record of 2:26.44 set by Kenya’s Celestine Chepchirchir in 2019.
 
Simiyu said after the race, “I came here to win, but I also wanted to run 2:24 or faster.”

In only her third ever road race, the future is very bright for Simiyu.
 
“It was fantastic to stage the first major running event in South Africa this year,” said Cape Town Marathon Race Director, Renee Jordaan.

“It was great to see some exciting racing from our lead runners, and we congratulate every single participant who joined us today.
 
“The running community really embraced the event, and they were particularly excited about the staggered start and mat-to-mat timing this year.
 
“We are also pleased that we had no serious medical incidents, and would once again like to thank the City of Cape Town for all their support and road closures, thereby helping us stage another safe event.”

Top 10 women
1. Lydia Simiyu (Kenya) – 02:25.44
2. Lucy Karimi (Kenya) – 02:25.56
3. Aynalem Teferi (Ethiopia) – 02:26.12
4. Gerda Steyn (South Africa; Nedbank) – 02:26.25
5. Beje Bekelu Geleta (Ethiopia; Newton Sports Agency) – 02:29.13
6. Esther Macharia (Kenya; Greyhound Pro Sports Management) – 02:29.17
7. Alina Armas (Namibia; Retail Capital Langa) – 02:35.07
8. Sinke Biyadgilgn (South Africa) – 02:37.57
9. Pulane Matsepe (South Africa; 295 Running Club) – 02:40.46
10. Nontokozo Mkhize (South Africa; Hollywoodbets Athletics Club) – 02:41.21