Running News Daily

The 2025 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon delivered a thrilling showcase of endurance on October 26, as top athletes battled it out on the streets of Nairobi under ideal racing conditions. This year’s event, one of the premier marathons on the African continent, once again attracted a deep field of elite talent.

Among the day’s standout performances was Donald Kimaru, a KATA athlete training out of the Kapcherop KATA Running Camp, who finished a remarkable 4th place in a highly competitive men’s race.

Donald Kimaru: Fuelled by KATA, Ready for the Global Stage

Clocking a time of 2:12:02, Kimaru finished just over a minute behind the winner, Benard Chepkowny (2:11:01), and less than 30 seconds from the podium. It was a huge breakthrough for the rising long-distance runner, who trains under the high-altitude guidance of Coach Philemon Kipruto at the KATA facility in Kapcherop.

“Donald is showing the power of patience and consistency,” Coach Kipruto noted. “We’ve known he had the potential, and now he’s proving it in one of Kenya’s most important races.”

 Chepkwony, returning to major competition, wasted no time asserting his intent. He set a strong pace from the start, joined by Silas Chesang, Donald Kimaru, Ezekiel Kemboi, Bethwel Chemuno, and Wilfred Kiplagat, all determined to stay in contention.

As the race progressed past the 30km mark, Chepkwony maintained the lead despite Chesang mounting a late push after struggling on the uphill sections.

Chepkwony’s endurance and composure carried him through to the finish line, clocking an impressive 2:11:01 to seal his comeback victory.

Kimaru trains in an environment designed to create champions, where runners combine disciplined training with the nutritional strength of KATA Potatoes – The Fuel of Champions. His performance in Nairobi is a testament to this holistic approach. Donald had placed second at the KATA Double Road Race 15k held September 20 in Thika.  

Top 10 Elite Men – 2025 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon

1. Benard Chepkowny – KEN – 2:11:01 (first photo)

2. Alex Chepkwik Saekwo – KEN – 2:11:26

3. Ezekiel Kemboi Omullo – KEN – 2:11:40

4. Donald Kimaru – KEN – 2:12:02

5. Wilfred Kiplagat – UGA – 2:13:42

6. Charles Kimeli – KEN – 2:14:08

7. Nehemiah Kiprono Sang – KEN – 2:14:38

8. Solomon Yego – KEN – 2:14:50

9. Dennis Kipkemboi Koech – KEN – 2:15:39

10. Silas Chesang Keitany – KEN – 2:15:51

Women’s Race Highlight

In the women’s marathon, Hellen Chepkorir dominated with a powerful performance, finishing in 2:27:17 at an average pace of 3:30/km.

KATA’s Impact Growing

Donald Kimaru’s top finish adds to the growing list of success stories emerging from the KATA Running Camp ecosystem. Founded by Bob Anderson, KATA is reshaping the Kenyan distance running scene with over 30 camps across the country, combining elite training with a sustainable agricultural model. Runners like Donald are not only developing as athletes but also helping uplift their communities.

Next for Donald? A potential international marathon debut in 2026, where he’ll look to break the 2:10 barrier and cement his name among Kenya’s top marathoners.

"If I can defend my Toronto Marathon title it will be very good for me and for my marathon career," he declares with a smile. He remembers well the joy his 2:07:24 performance brought him and the festivities which followed upon his return to Kenya.

"I started the celebration at the (Eldoret) airport with my family, my friends and my training mates and also my coach," he recalls of the celebration which included drinking fermented milk called Mursik in the Kalenjin warriors’ tradition. "We extended the celebration to my camp. We feasted on some goats with my friends and training mates.

"This year I would like to run my personal best in Toronto. Hopefully, if the weather will be good and also, if the pacemakers do a good job, I am hoping to run maybe 2:06 and maybe try to run a course record."

Kipruto’s best is 2:07:11 set in finishing third at the 2018 Seoul Marathon and he also ran 2:07:21 at the 2017 Gongju Dong-A Marathon in Korea. With three recent 2:07 results he is clearly on the verge of another major breakthrough which could see him tackle the current Toronto course record held by his compatriot Philemon Rono (2:06:52 in 2017).

Asked what his greatest impression from last year’s five day visit to Toronto was he is quick to credit the organizers.

"The people I met, they are friendly like the first one, Alan Brookes the Race Director, he is very friendly," he reveals. "The course itself is good. And also, I think the weather that day was not so good."

Last year runners awakened to temperatures hovering near freezing point and also encountered a strong headwind coming off Lake Ontario. Still, winning this IAAF Gold Label race caught the attention of the world’s marathon running aficionados.

"I would say it opened doors to my future," Kipruto explains. "I was invited to the 2019 Boston Marathon because of Toronto. So my name has grown. (Toronto) was my first victory.

"Boston was a good performance for me; I managed to finish, first of all. I was injured during the race."

Kipruto’s feet were badly blistered during the race. But his coach Claudio Berardelli offers another explanation saying that he pushed Kipruto perhaps too much over the final three weeks of his preparation and so he was also over-trained. Ultimately, he finished a respectable 10th in 2:09:53 within two minutes of the winner Lawrence Cherono, also from Kenya.

Performing at this level has paid dividends for Kipruto. First place in Toronto earns CAD $30,000 while a course record is worth another CAD $40,000. In a country where the per capita income is less than $2,000 it is a lucrative business. He sees it as an investment for the future.

Though he was born in the village of Tolilet he recently bought some land 40 kilometres away in Kapsabet and moved his wife and one-year old daughter, who is called Princess Camille Chemutai, to the place.

Now his family is nearer to the training camp where he resides during the week and where he trains with such elite athletes as Amos Kipruto (2:05:43 personal best), Vincent Kipchumba (2:06:56), Solomon Yego (2:06:23) and Barselius Kipyego (2:07:57). He goes home on weekends.

Five men in the Valencia Marathon field have previously run better than 2:06:00 on at least one occasion headed by Ethiopia’s Leul Gebrselassie. The 25-year-old boasts a 2:04:02 lifetime best clocked last January in Dubai on his debut over the distance, barely three seconds slower than his illustrious countryman Haile Gebrselassie’s career best. He finished tenth at this year’s World Half Marathon Championships held in Valencia and holds a 59:18 personal best for the distance clocked in Valencia last year. One of his stiffest opponents should be defending champion Sammy Kitwara, who turned 32 years earlier this week. The Kenyan clocked the 2:05:15 course record last year, his second ever behind his 2:04:28 career best set in Chicago in 2014. Kitwara has only raced once this year, finishing 15th in Lisbon over the half marathon when he clocked 1:01:12. He will be joined by his fellow Kenyan Norbert Kigen, who clocked 2:05:13 in Amsterdam in 2017. He will be making his second appearance of the season after dropping out in Boston last April. Mathew Kisorio, who clocked 2:06:36 in Paris earlier this year and ran a 1:02:18 time for the half marathon in the altitude of Eldoret last month and Solomon Yego (2:07:12) will also be in contention. Eritrea's Yohanes Gebregergis, a creditable seventh at the World Championships last year, should also be tipped as one of the main favorities.  The Madrid-based 24-year-old ran 1:00:16 for the half marathon in Lisbon earlier this year and holds a PR of 2:08:14. Ethiopia’s Deribe Robi, third last year in 2:06:38, might also be a factor on Sunday in his fourth marathon this year, his best effort being 2:08:51 in Seoul.

Kenya's Pauline Korikwiang, 30, is returning to Spain hoping to win the Valencia Half Marathon in her second attempt on Sunday. She won the Bucharest Half Marathon clocking 1:10:07 in May and she hopes she has the energy to win in Spain. She leads five other Kenyans in the race including Edith Chelimo, Risper Chebet, Diana Chemutai, Mary Wacera (the world half marathon bronze medalist) Caroline Rotich and Ines Chenonge. "I have done well in training and am certain to do well in Valencia. This is part of my preparations for the World Championships, where I hope to do well in the 10,000m race," Korikwiang said on Thursday. The Kenyans will have to face stiff challenges from the Ethiopian delegation led by Kajela Diriba, Helen Tola and Gelete Burka. In the men's race, defending champion Abraham Cheroben of Bahrain will strive to defend his title against an elite team of 30 athletes with 14 of them having run under 60 minutes. Cheroben won last year's race clocking 59:11. The Kenyan challenge will be led by Jorum Okombo Lumbasi (58:48), Solomon Yego (58:44), Mangata Ndiwa (59:09), Abraham Kiptum (59:09) and Josphat Boit (59:19) with the Ethiopian brigade led by Yemal Yimer (59:00), Belihu Berta (59:51) and Getaneh Molla (60:18).