Running News Daily

The coastline of Bangsaen, Thailand, provided a fitting stage for season-ending statements as the Bangsaen21 Half Marathon unfolded in the cool pre-dawn hours. On a course that rewards discipline as much as speed, Kenya’s Samwel Nyamai Mailu and Dolphine Nyaboke Omare delivered controlled, authoritative victories—closing their 2025 campaigns with confidence and setting a clear tone for the road season ahead.

From the opening kilometres, the race signaled its intent. The pace was honest but restrained, shaped by exposed coastal stretches and rising humidity along the Gulf of Thailand. Rather than early fireworks, both elite fields settled into rhythm, waiting for the moment when patience would turn into purpose. 

Mailu Times It Perfectly

In the men’s race, a compact lead pack flowed smoothly through the early stages, with Kenyan and Ethiopian runners sharing the workload. Mailu ran economically and composed—never forcing the pace, never drifting from contention.

As the field passed halfway, the tempo tightened. Between 15 and 18 kilometres, Mailu applied sustained pressure, lifting the pace without a sharp surge. The move was subtle but decisive. Ethiopia’s Teresa Nyakola and Regasa Seyoum Beharu responded gamely, but the Kenyan’s rhythm proved relentless. By the closing kilometres, the gap had opened, and Mailu crossed the line in 1:02:59, a victory built on control and timing.

“This race was important for me to close the year well,” Mailu said. “I ran with patience and trusted my training. Now I’ll return to training and start preparing for next year’s road races.”

Nyakola secured second in 1:03:22, with Seyoum third in 1:03:36, completing a podium defined by tactical intelligence rather than early aggression.

Omare’s Authority in the Women’s Race

If the men’s contest was about timing, the women’s race was about command.

From the outset, Omare took responsibility at the front, dictating a steady, uncompromising tempo. Ethiopia’s Beriha Gebreslasie and Mehret Gemeda stayed close, forming a compact trio through the middle stages as the course flattened along the coast.

The separation came quietly. Between 12 and 16 kilometres, Omare increased the pace gradually, stretching the elastic until it finally snapped. Without drama, she edged clear, maintaining form and cadence as the humidity deepened. Omare crossed the line in 1:10:14—a performance marked by calm authority and fatigue resistance.

“I’m happy to finish the year with a win,” Omare said. “This race gives me confidence. I’ll focus on next year’s road season, building step by step for the big races ahead.” 

Gebreslasie finished second in 1:11:12, while Gemeda claimed third in 1:12:30, both producing resilient runs that kept the contest honest deep into the second half.

Discipline Rewarded on the Coast

Bangsaen21 once again proved to be a race that rewards restraint. The flat profile invites ambition, but the conditions punish excess. Those who conserved early and committed late emerged strongest.

For Mailu and Omare, the victories were about more than the clock—closing a demanding year with clarity, validating months of preparation, and turning the page with purpose. As the sun rose over the Gulf of Thailand and applause filled the finish area, the message was clear: the champions leave Bangsaen with momentum, eyes already fixed on 2026 and the global road calendar ahead. 

Bangsaen21 2025 Results

Men

Samwel Nyamai Mailu (KEN) — 1:02:59

Teresa Nyakola (ETH) — 1:03:22

Regasa Seyoum Beharu (ETH) — 1:03:36

Gelana Teshome (ETH) — 1:04:20

Eyob Faniel (ITA) — 1:05:54

Abdi Kebede (ETH) — 1:05:55

Nattawut Innum (THA) — 1:10:10

Arthit Soda (THA) — 1:10:50

Pongsakorn Suksawat (THA) — 1:11:32

Women 

Dolphine Nyaboke Omare (KEN) — 1:10:14

Beriha Gebreslasie (ETH) — 1:11:12

Mehret Gemeda (ETH) — 1:12:30

Lelise Bekele (ETH) — 1:13:49

Kalkidan Debeb (ETH) — 1:17:59

Pareeya Sonsem (THA) — 1:22:05

Ornanong Wongsorn (THA) — 1:22:14

Linda Chantachit (THA) — 1:24:13

Kawinthida Thadased (THA) — 1:25:35

Thanaporn Phatthanothai (THA) — 1:25:37