Kenyans sweep podiums at 40th Estra Firenze Marathon in Florence, Italy

© Copyright – 2024 – Athletics Illustrated

Kenyans Samuel Kiplimo Naibei and Dorine Jerop Murkomen won the 40th annual Estra Firenze Marathon in the city known internationally as Florence, the Capital of Tuscany. The name Florence, or Firenze, domestically means good fortune. For the Kenyan and Morroathletes toeing the line on Sunday, luck and perhaps the wind at their backs was what they were hoping for.

Men’s race

In the men’s race, 31-year-old Kiplimo led decisively, finishing in 2:12:51, nearly four minutes ahead of Burundi’s Jean Marie Bukuru and Kenya’s Hillary Biwott. Bukuru sat back and let the leaders do the work through 30km, moving from sixth to third by halfway. By 30km, he was in the position to challenge for the win sitting in third. Over the final kms he raced hard to capture second.

Firenze Marathon 2024: vincono il keniano Samuel Kiplimo Naibei in 2h12’51”, mentre al femminile il successo di Dorine Jerop Murkomen in 2h27’01” https://t.co/VfwcUCzgHs

— fainfo sport (@fainfosport) November 24, 2024

A group consisting of Kenyans Simon Ekidor, Edwin Kiplagat Kimutai, Samuel Kiplimo Naibei, and Hillary Chemweno passed the 10km marker in 30:24, and halfway in 1:04:57. Naibei and Kimutai dropped Chemweno, and established a 10-second lead the 25km point, passing in 1:17:08. At 30km, Naibei picked up the pace and extended the lead over Kimutai to 30 seconds. He further increased his margin to more than three minutes with just 2km remaining in the race. He broke the tape in 2:12:51.

Women’s Race

They also swept the women’s category. Twenty-six-year-old Murkomen took the win in 2:27:01 Fellow Kenyan Lucy Chepoghon Chelele clocked a 2:27:18 performance, while Hellen Chepkorir rolled in at 2:27:59 on the clock.

A foursome of Lucy Chepoghon Chelele, Vivian Cherotich, Hellen Chepkorir, and Dorine Jerop Murkomen ran through 15km in 50:52. They then his the 21.1, halfway mark in 1:12:27, and 25kms in 1:26:20.

As expected, the pack began to string out at 30km, with Cherotich the first to drop off. The pack gapped her by 30 seconds. The lead pack came to the 35km marker in the time of 1:43:29. At the 40km point, Murkomen surged ahead of Chepoghon and broke the tape in 2:27:01.

The first Italian woman across the line, Maria Gorette Subano, finished in 2:39:58. This performance was just one minute off her personal best from the Berlin Marathon in September. She finished in fifth place.

The apparent first Italian man across the line was Hicham Bofars also in fifth place in 2:18:23, however, World Athletics profiles his as Morrocan. The same could be said for seventh-place finisher Lhoussaine Oukhrid. Interestingly, former middle-distance runner Marco Filippi of Italy ran to a personal best clocking of 2:28:56. His best was 2:29:24 from Firenze in 2023. He was the first Italian across the line.

Seven men ran sub 2:20:00, while three women ran sub 2:30:00.

Results

Women

Men