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Diriba and Kiptoo Win Pittsburgh Half Marathon

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By Clay Shaw
Photos by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

Pittsburgh, PA, May 7, 2023—Wesley Kiptoo of Kenya defended his title at the UPMC Health Plan Pittsburgh Half Marathon and lowered his course record to 1:01:21.  Kiptoo, who ran collegiately at Iowa State, won easily.

Buze Diriba of Ethiopia won in 1:10:45.  Diriba had a very close battle with Carrie Verdon of Boulder, CO who was second in 1:10:47. Jackie Gaughan of Boston, Massachusetts was third in 1:11:31.  Former Shippensburg University standout Neely Gracey was fourth in 1:12:56, just ahead of defending champ Caroline Rotich of Kenya who was clocked at 1:12:56.

James Ngandu of Kenya, who trains in Columbus, Ohio, was second in 1:02:12.  Dominic Ondoro of Kenya was third in 1:02:32.  Lawrence Kipkoech of Kenya was fourth in 1:02:40.  Chase Weaverling of Boulder, CO was sixth and top American in 1:05:10.  Sergio Reyes of Palmdale, CA was top master and ninth overall in 1:06:26.   Ngandu and Reyes both raced in Philadelphia’s Broad Street Run 10 Miler on the previous weekend.

The Sunday races, the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon and the UPMC Health Plan Pittsburgh Half Marathon, had over 20,000 participants.

Top Women

  1. 1:10:45 Buze Diriba, 29, Ethiopia
  2. 1:10:47 Carrie Verdon, 29, Boulder, CO
  3. 1:11:31 Jackie Gaughan, 23,Boston, MA
  4. 1:12:56 Neely Gracey, 33, Lafayette, CO
  5. 1:12:57 Caroline Rotich, 38, Kenya
  6. 1:12:57 Katie Kellner, 31, Allston, MA
  7. 1:12:58 Jaci Smith, 26, Colorado Springs, CO
  8. 1:13:11 Lindsay Flanagan, 32, Louisville, CO
  9. 1:17:12 Heather Kampf, 36, Minneapolis, MN
  10. 1:17:23 Maddie Van Beek, 31, Fargo, ND

Top Men

  1. 1:01:21 Wesley Kiptoo, 24, Kenya
  2. 1:02:14 James Ngandu, 33, Kenya
  3. 1:02:32 Dominic Ondoro, 35, Kenya
  4. 1:02:40 Lawrence Kipkoech, 30,Kenya
  5. 1:04:02 Dominic Korir, 29, Kenya
  6. 1:04:37 Milton Rotich, 36, Kenya
  7. 1:05:10 Chase Weaverling, 27, Westminster, CO
  8. 1:06:13 Will Nation, 31, Austin, TX
  9. 1:06:26 Sergio Reyes, 41, Palmdale, CA
  10. 1:07:29 Jared Ward, 34, Mapleton, UT
Wesley Kiptoo of Kenya and the NAZ Elite team breaks the tape and his course record with a repeat win at the UPMC Heath Plan Half Marathon in 1:01:21.
Wesley Kiptoo is all smiles after his second straight victory at the UPMC Health Plan Pittsburgh Half Marathon. Kiptoo lowered his course record to 1:01:21.
Pittsburgh Half Marathon and Marathon start on Liberty Avenue. 10,015 finished the UPMC Health Care Half Marathon and exactly 3000 finished the Dick’s Sporting Goods Marathon.
It’s mostly the half marathoners taking off with the early morning fireworks in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Buze Diriba of Ethiopia wins in 1:10:45.
Carrie Verdon of Boulder, CO was second in 1:10:47, only two seconds behind Diriba.
Fierce battle for fourth by four fast women. Neely Spence of Colorado (PA native) got it in 1:12:56. Caroline Rotich of Kenya, the defending champ was fifth in 1:12:57. Katie Kellner (in white) was sixth in 1:12:57, and Jaci Smith (in blue) was seventh in 1:12:58.
Neely Spence of Lafayette, CO gets the call for fourth in battle with Caroline Rotich of Kenya, the 2022 champ.
Chase Weaverling of Westminster, CO was top American and seventh overall in 1:05:10.
Heather Kampf of Minneapolis, MN was ninth in 1:17:12.
Sergio Reyes of Palmdale, CA was ninth in 1:06:26 and was top master for the second time in two weekends (Broad Street 10 Miler Philadelphia, PA the prior weekend).
2016 USA Olympian Jared Ward of Mapleton, UT was tenth in 1:07:29.
Podium women: Carrie Verdon CO 2nd 1:00:47, Buze Diriba ETH 1st 1:10:45, and Jackie Gaughan MA 1:11:31. (Photo by Clay Shaw).
All-Kenya men’s podium at the UPMC Health Care Half Marathon. Wesley Kiptoo 1st 1:01:21, James Ngandu 2nd 1:02:12, and Dominic Ondoro 3rd in 1:02:32.
Hanna Cavanagh of Jersey City, NJ was 16th in 1:27:00.
Alyson Pierce of Haymarket, VA celebrates her finish with a 1:30:18.
Jeff Nicolella of Washington, PA runs 1:45:37 with USA flag.
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