GEORGE TOWN: THE Penang Bridge International Marathon 2014 saw the domination by Kenyan runners who swept all top three medals in the Male and Female Open category in the 42km race here recently.
The six runners beat thousands of other participants to win the day.
Male category winner Alex Melly, 27, said he had been training over the past 10 months for the competition.
“I run between one and three hours daily to ensure my fitness for the competition. As part of my training, I joined a marathon in Indonesia and Terengganu in September.
“I’m proud to stand on the podium alongside my brothers and sisters from Kenya,” he said.
Melly, who completed the run in two hours and 19 minutes, said it was his fourth participation and the second time he won the run after the first win in 2010.
Frida Jepkite Lodepa shared the same sentiment with Melly.
The 32-year-old farmer completed the run in three hours and four minutes to get the trophy.
“I have been actively involved in marathons, especially in my country. This is my first time joining the run and I will definitely come back next year,” she said after the prize-giving ceremony at the Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah bridge.
Melly and Lodepa each went home with RM20,000, a trophy and a certificate.
Meanwhile, popular comic character Son Goku of the famed Japanese manga series Dragon Ball pounded the tarmac together with some 60,000 runners at the competition.
The man made heads turn as he gamely took part in the full marathon.
Besides Son Goku, well-known characters such as Captain America and Harry Potter were also spotted burning up the trail.
The sixth-edition of the marathon is the first to be held on the second Penang bridge. The first run was organised in 2009.
Five categories were contested, namely, the full marathon (42km), half marathon (21km), Open category (10km), Junior (10km) and Fun Run (7km).
More than 10 countries took part in the run.
