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Sawe Leads Kenyan Sweep of Medals

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By Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

10.1.23 Riga, Latvia, World Athletics Road Championships, Men’s Half Marathon—Sabastian Sawe led a Kenyan sweep of the medals in the World Athletics Road Racing Championships marquee race, the half marathon.  Sawe won in 59:10. Daniel Ebenyo was second in 59:14 and looked like he could win the race outright if he chose to.  Samwel Mailu was third in 59:19, as Kenya swept the medals in both the women and men’s half marathon.

Winner – Sabastian Kimaru SAWE, KEN

“I am so happy with this win, but also the 1-2-3 for Team Kenya. I always like to kick in the last kilometre. As we were approaching the finish line I wanted to salute my team mate as a sign of respect. After approaching him, I saw he wasn’t pushing much and I had enough strength and after that, I never stopped. I always have confidence in the last kilometre. The early part was slow. Overall, I am happy for Team Kenya results in the men’s and the women’s race.”

Jemal Yimer Mokonnen of Ethiopia was fourth in 59:22. Fan favorite Jimmy Gressier of France earned a personal best of 59:46 as he finished fifth.  Thabang Mosiako of South Africa was sixth in 59:52, also earning a personal best.  He was the final sub-one-hour finisher.

5th – Jimmy GRESSIER, FRA

“Entering this race, I had one goal in mind – to finish at least in 8th place – during the race I used the opportunity and managed to exceed my goal with finishing fifth with a personal best. The race itself was off to a slow start, so that did cost me posibility to fight for the French record, so the focus was switched to gaining the best position and overall result possible. Now, my season is finished and I am going on a long and well deserved holiday. The World Road Running Championships as a whole, I think it is a great chance for athletes from the 1500m or 5000m that are used to track to come and compete in a similar yet challenging environment.”

American athletes were Biya Simbassa of Flagstaff, AZ who was 25th in 1:01:28.  Futsum Zienasellassie of Flagstaff, AZ was 33rd in 1:01:49.  Jacob Thomson of Flagstaff, AZ was 36th with a personal best of 1:02:26.  Reed Fischer of Boulder, CO was 53rd in 1:03:56.

Meng Tak Leong of Macau who was 86th set a national record of 1:12:26. 90 athletes finished the elite, while the mass race started at the same time with a large crowd.  A runner named Abebe ran 1:03 and finished ahead of half of the elites. 

Kudos to World Athletics for their vision to include other distances to the now branded World Athletics Road Racing Championships.  Adding the mass races for the general public was popular and the events were well attended. There was branding all over Riga and large crowds of spectators on the November 11 Boulevard, also known as “The Embankment.”  A kids’ event was included at the Freedom Monument on Saturday.

Top Finishers

  1. 59:10 Sabastian Sawe, Kenya
  2. 59:14 Daniel Ebenyo, Kenya
  3. 59:19 Samwel Mailu, Kenya
  4. 59:22 Jemal Yimer Mekonnen, Ethiopia
  5. 59:46 Jimmy Gressier, France
  6. 59:52 Thabang Mosiako, South Africa
  7. 1:00:11 Nibret Melak, Ethiopia
  8. 1:00:13 Benard Kibet, Kibet
  9. 1:00:19 Samson Amare, Eritrea
  10. 1:00:21 Tsegay Kidanu, Ethiopia
  11. 1:00:29 Stephen Mokoka, South Africa
  12. 1:00:43 Tomoki Ota, Japan
  13. 1:00:56 Elroy Gelant, South Africa
  14. 1:01:03 Mohamed Reda El Aaraby, Morocco
  15. 1:01:05 Djamal Abdi Direh, Djibouti
  16. 1:01:06 Ibrahim Hassan, Djibouti
  17. 1:01:06 Pietro Riva, Italy
  18. 1:01:09 Abel Chebet, Uganda
  19. 1:01:13 Precious Lesiba Mashele, South Africa
  20. 1:01:22 Ali Chebures, Uganda
  21. 1:01:25 Andrew Rotich Kwemoi, Uganda
  22. 1:01:26 Aleksander Tekleweld, Eritrea
  23. 1:01:27 Valentin Gondouin, France
  24. 1:01:27 Mehdi Frere, France
  25. 1:01:28 Biya Simbassa, USA
Sabastian Sawe was the World Athletics Half Marathon champion in 59:10.
Samwel Mailu earned bronze and completed a Kenyan sweep of the medals with a time of 59:19, a personal best.
Thabang Mosiako of South Africa and Jimmy Gressier of France head for personal bests under one hour. Mosiako was sixth in 59:52. Gressier was fifth in 59:46.
Nibret Melak of Ethiopia placed seventh in 1:00:11. Benard Kibet of Kenya was eighth in 1:00:13.
Pietro Riva of Italy leads a large pack; he would finish 17th in 1:01:06. Djamal Abdi Direh of Djibouti was 15th in 1:01:05. Precious Lesiba Mashele of South Africa was 19th in 1:01:13.
Biya Simbassa of Flagstaff, AZ, USA was 25th in 1:01:28 and was top American.
Futsum Zienasellassie of Flagstaff, AZ was 33rd in 1:01:49.
Jacob Thomson of Flagstaff, AZ, USA was 36th in 1:02:26, a personal best.
Jimmy Gressier of France was fifth in 59:46 and set a personal best.
Tomoki Ota of Japan was twelfth in 1:00:43.
Mohammed Reda El Aaraby of Morocco finished 14th in 1:01:03. Following him are two runners from Djibouti, Djamal Abdi Direh in 1:01:05 and Ibrahim Hassan in 1:01:06.
Benjamin Choquert of France was 44th in 1:02:59. Mohcin Outalha of Morocco was 46th in 1:03:01. Andreas Vojta of Austria (behind Choquert) was 42nd in 1:02:55.
Marcelo Laguera of Mexico was 49th in 1:03:42. Peter Herzog of Austria was 50th in 1:03:47. Jean Marie Vianney Niyomukiza of Burundi was 56th in 1:04:03.
Ruben Erick Arando Quispe of Bolivia ran a personal best of 1:04:53 and was 65th.
Luke Micallef of Malta was 74th in 1:06:55. Christian Birch Okkels of Denmark was 73rd in 1:06:54.
Mykola Nyzhnyk of Ukraine was 75th in 1:07:31.
Biya Simbassa and Futsum Zienasellassie were the top two USA finishers.
Jacob Thomson was 36th and earned a personal best of 1:02:26.
Reed Fischer and Futsum Zienaselassie with Ahmed Muhumed and Olin Hacker from the 5K.
USA Half Marathoners Reed Fischer, Futsum Zienasellassie and Jacob Thomson.
Kenya sweeps the half marathon: Sabastian Sawe 1st, Daniel Ebenyo 2nd and Samwel Mailu 3rd.
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