Cynthia Limo heads back to Honolulu to defend her title

Kenya’s Cynthia Jerotich Limo will be defending her women’s marathon title at the 52nd edition of the Honolulu Marathon slated for this Sunday (01) in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Limo, who is the 2016 World Half-Marathon silver medalist, endured the hilly course, intermittent rain, warm temperatures, and high humidity on her debut to win the race in a time of 2:33.01.

The 34 year-old who is also the reigning Nairobi City Marathon champion, ran solo from 35km to the finish, comes to this race with a life time best of 2:25.10 that she got early this year at the Hamburg Marathon where she finished in sixth place.

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Limo who is ranked as the sixth fastest woman in the world over the half marathon distance, will not have easy time as she will battle Judith Jeptum Korir, the World Marathon silver medallist and the fastest woman on the entry list, with a time of 2:18.20 that she got in Eugene two years ago.

The two Kenyans will also have to get past Ethiopia’s Fantu Shugi Gelasa of 2:29.20 and Japan’s Eri Suzuki of 2:41.42.

The race organisers have assembled a strong deep elite field to try and lower the race course record of 2:22.15 that was set seven years ago by Brigid Kosgei from Kenya.

The winner will take home Kshs 3,245,000 as prize money and Kshs 1,298,000 for breaking the course record.

LEADING TIME

42KM WOMEN

1. Cynthia Limo            (KEN)  2:25.10
2. Judith Jeptum Korir (KEN)  2:18.20
3. Fantu Shugi Gelasa   (ETH)  2:29.20
4. Eri Suzuki                   (JPN) 2:41.42