Running News Daily

Kenya’s Morris Gachaga hopes his return to the southern Chinese city of Xiamen January 5 will give him the marathon title

Morris Gachaga from Kenya, 24, last competed in China back in 2016 where he was fourth at the Yangzhou Half Marathon clocking one hour and 46 seconds.

But it will be a new challenge as he takes on his fourth marathon, hoping to end the Ethiopian dominance on Sunday.

“I feel strong in having trained well and with focus. My target is to win and I know that I face strong opponents but it is down to how one is prepared on the race day and that is what I hope will play to my favor,” said Gachaga. 

This year, Gachaga has raced in two marathons in Paris, where he was fourth clocking 2:07:46 and in Amsterdam where he settled for the seventh spot after timing 2:06:24, which currently stands as his personal best.

(01/02/2020) Views: 1,587 ⚡AMP

Morris Gachaga wins Cape Town 12 OneRun 15 seconds off his world best time for 12k

Morris Gachaga and Jackline Chepngeno made it a Kenyan double, taking line honours at the FNB CApe Town 12 ONERUN in dramatic fashion on Sunday May 20.   Almost 13 000 runners of all shapes and sizes finished the traditional harbourside 12km dash from Milnerton into the city centre in perfect running conditions, the colourful mass transforming the usual silent Sunday city centre into a bustling party-town.  

Gachaga crossed the finish line in Bree Street in 33:42, some 15 seconds off of his world best time from 2017. “Racing for the win was more important than chasing my time from last year,” Gachaga said after the race.

“We did start out fast, for the first three kilometres we were on record pace, but then we started watching each other and the pace dropped a bit.” Those first 3km were passed in 8:15, 5km going by in 14:02 with all the main contenders in the lead pack of twelve athletes.  Gachaga, after driving the pace to the 3km mark, then slipped back into the pack with Kenya’s Victor Chumo taking up the front running.

The South African challenge fell away just after 8km which was covered in 22:47, with only Stephen Mokoka, the 2016 Champion, still in the mix. 10km came and went in 28:25 and it was at this point that Gachaga and Chumo kicked again, dragging Mande Bushendich with them.  On the climb up Wale Street, Chumo surged again and as they entered the final 800m in Bree Street, Chumo and Gachaga had broken away from John Langat (Kenya), Abdallah Mande and Mande Bushendich, with Mokoka dropping off further.

Chumo and Gachaga raced down Bree Street where Gachaga’s knowledge of the route giving him the advantage as he timed his sprint to the line perfectly, passing Chumbo in the final 300m to defend his title. The female race saw Kenya’s Jackline Chepngeno take control after 2km. Uganda’s Stella Chesang, who was widely tipped to win the race after winning the 10 000m title at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, hung on till 9km, before she had to give way to the relentless surging of Chepngeno. For Chepngeno the victory was the perfect start to 2018 after having taken 2017 off from racing, having given birth to her son.

“The last kilometre I was worried about Stella (Chesang) after her win in Brisbane (Commonwealth Games), so I ran really hard. I did not know where she was, so I needed to race to the line,” said Chepngeno. “Winning was really good for me. This was my first race back after my pregnancy and it is a big confidence booster for me.”

(05/20/2018) Views: 1,774 ⚡AMP

Morris Gachaga ran the world's best time for 12K in Cape Town last year and on Sunday wants to go faster

The fastest man ever over 12K will return to defend his title at the FNB Cape Town 12 ONERUN on Sunday. Morris Gachaga, 23, stormed to a 33min 27sec win at last year’s event to set the fastest time ever recorded over the 12km distance. The Kenyan is in even better shape than before. On February 9 this year, he finished fifth in the RAK Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, clocking 59:36. That was followed up with a third-place finish in Lisbon where he covered the Half marathon in 60:17 on March 11, before heading off to London as pacemaker to Eliud Kipchoge, who won the 2018 London Marathon. The 59:36 (in the RAK Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon) places Gachaga eighth in the world this year over the half marathon and it’s a personal best for him over the distance by more than a minute. Clearly, he will be coming into the race on May 20 in the best shape of his life and could potentially challenge his own ‘record’ time if the rest of the field go with the required pace. ‘I’m looking forward to coming back to Cape Town to defend my title,’ says Gachaga. ‘I have good memories of that race and want to do well. I am in great shape. If things go well, maybe I can better my 33:27 and lower the world best.’ This will be Gachaga’s third visit to South Africa and his second to Cape Town since running that world best.  The 12km is a non-standard race and hence the time is ratified as a world best, not a world record.  More than 14,000 runners took to the streets of Cape Town last year and more are expected on Sunday.  Many run i customes.   (05/15/2018) Views: 1,654 ⚡AMP