The year of 2018 has left its imprint in the history of Ukrainian sport even before it crossed its equator! For the first time in Ukraine the road races took place under the bronze label of the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF). This event was also marked by setting the track record and high competition between professional athletes from Ukraine and African countries. The overall number of participants on all courses was almost 11,000 runners from 52 countries.
No doubt, the most interesting part of 8th Nova Poshta Kyiv Half Marathon was the competition between women on the half marathon course. Of course, the main goal for the top participants was breaking the record set by a Ukrainian Anna Nosenko in 2016, her time was 1:13:55.
Right from the start, the head group of leaders included four athletes: Kenyan runner Marion Jepkurui Limo, Ukrainians Viktoriia Kaliuzhna, Yuliia Shmatenko and Daria Mykhailova. Daria got a little behind around the Havanskyi Bridge, so for the most of the course the main competition was between the Kenyan and Ukrainians Viktoriia and Yuliia. Around Trukhaniv island Viktoriia became a leader, Marion Limo was right behind her while Yuliia was 10-15 meters behind.
The leaders of the women race crossed the 15 km mark with the following results: Viktoriia Kaliuzhna and Marion Jepkurui Limo — 52:28, Yuliia Shmatenko was 10 seconds behind — 52:38. Then something incredible happened! Viktoriia Kaliuzhna not only made the Kenyan runner Marion Limo compete, but started getting away from her, which resulted in the Ukrainian runner winning the race and setting the new track record in the rather capricious windy weather! Thus, Viktoriia Kaliuzhna finished first with the new track record — 1:13:43, Kenyan runner Marion Limo was second — 1:14:51, the last of the three winners was Yuliia Shmatenko with the time 1:14:54.
Among men the main competition was among the representatives of African nations. Last year winner and track record holder Ethiopian runner Lencho Anbesa (1:03:57) had a nice competition represented by the Kenyan runner Nicholas Makau with a high personal best 1:00:58.
In the first half of the course the main battle was for the third place between a Ukrainian runner Roman Romanenko and a Romanian runner Marius Ionescu, but around the 10 km mark Roman started getting ahead. As a result, he did finish third with the result of 1:07:58, and the fourth place was taken but the current Ukrainian record holder in marathon running Dmytro Baranivskyi.
The favorites were going evenly. Both the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners crossed the 10 km mark in 29 minutes and 29 seconds, the 15 km mark – in 44 minutes and 26 seconds. And only close examination of the finish could help determine the winner! Anbesa Lencho won, and he not only became the double winner of the half marathon, but he also set the track record for the second time in a row! From now on, the goal for the next year half marathon will be 1 hour 2 minutes and 56 seconds. The result of the athlete from Kenya Nicholas Macau was only 2 seconds more.
