Africans dominate the Top7 race in Mezzocorona

Behind Koech, Rodgers Maiyo and Leonce Bukuru reached the goal in the Trentino town. Mukandanga, however, won ahead of her compatriot Emeline Imanzibayo and Kenyan Nancy Kerubo Kerage. The best Italians were Khalid Jbari from Bolzano (fifth) and Sarah Giomi (fourth) from Bolzano. At the event organized by the Atletica Rotaliana association, participants in the “Staffetta del Teroldego” relay race and the non-competitive “7km del Teroldego” race also received awards.

Numerous runners gathered on Saturday afternoon, which was spared from the rain, to take part in the third Teroldego Half Marathon. An African trio stood out from the start. Led by the Kenyan Rodgers Maiyo, the three, with Solomon Koech and Leonce Bukuru from Burundu also included, ran away from everyone in the first few kilometers to Roverè della Luna and back. When they passed the finish in Mezzocorona for the first time on the 14th kilometer, Koech was in the lead, closely followed by his two opponents.

Solomon Koech left the competition behind. © Sportissimus

However, Koech was able to maintain the distance over the last seven kilometers and was the first to arrive at the finish in the Piazza della Chiesa in Mezzocorona with a time of 1:05.25 hours. “It was very hot today, so it was a very tough race. That was my first Teroldego Half Marathon, it went well,” said the winner after the race. Maiyo took second place after 1:06.42 hours, while Bukuru had to settle for third place, two minutes and 17 seconds behind. Moroccan Youssef Aich landed behind the podium, while Khalid Jbari from Bolzano was the first athlete from the region to cross the finish line in fifth place.

Mukandanga prevails among the women Clementine Mukandanga from the GS Orecchiella Garfagnana club, however, celebrated a start-to-finish victory in the women's race. The athlete from Rwanda, who came seventh twice in the BOclassics elite races (2017 and 2021), set herself apart from her competition from the start. Mukandanga was in the lead both on the first section through the Piana Rotaliana from Mezzocorona to Roverè della Luna and back, as well as on the second section from Mezzocorona to “Lago dell'Ischia” and back. She crossed the finish line after 1:12.39 hours with the sixth best overall time of the day. “It was very hot for me today, almost too hot. The route wasn’t easy either, it had a lot of curves,” she commented after the race.

Clementine Mukandanga during her run. © Sportissimus

Another athlete from Rwanda, Emeline Imanzibayo (1:13.53 hours), took second place. She was behind her compatriot Mukandanga the entire way, but never managed to catch up with her. Nancy Kerubo Kerage made it to the third step of the podium, almost ten minutes behind the winner. There was a final sprint with Sarah Giomi from Lombardy, who missed the podium by a hundredth (1:22.00 hours).

Many participants in the other races too In the “Staffetta del Teroldego” relay race, the duo Ishmael Chelang Kalale/Lengen Lolkurraru came out on top, achieving a total time of 1:06.18 hours. The best mixed relay, however, was the “Kala Team”, consisting of Daniele Felicetti and Martina Rizzoli (1:12.34 hours), while the “Lagarina Crus Team I” of Monica Giordani and Monica Dossi was the fastest women's duo.

Before the award ceremony, those runners who did not want to complete their kilometers in a competitive manner were also allowed to take part in the just-for-fun run “7km del Teroldego”. “The races all went well, it was a nice event. I would like to thank all the volunteers, the participating communities, the sponsors and the partners, without whom this event would not have been possible,” said Antonio Bettin, President of Atletica Rotaliana, after the races.

After this third stage of the Top7 running series, another newcomer continues on June 4th: the Toblach Cortina Run.

Top 5 of the 3rd Teroldego Half Marathon Men 1. Solomon Koech KEN 1:05.25 hours 2. Rodgers Maiyo KEN/Atl. Brugnera PN Friulintagli 1:06.43 3. Leonce Bukuru BDI/Cosenza K42 1:07.42 4.Youssef Aich MAR/Atl. Rodengo Saiano Mico 1:07.53 5. Khalid Jbari ITA/Athletic Club 96 Alperia 1:08.52

Women 1. Clementine Mukandanga RWA/GS Orecchiella Garfagnana 1:12.39 hours 2. Emeline Imanzibayo RWA/Rwanda 1:13.53 3. Nancy Kerubo Kerage KEN/Acsi Campidoglio Palatino 1:21.59 4. Sarah Giomi ITA/Cus Pro Patria Milano 1:22.00 5. Julia Kuen ITA/ASD Atl. Club 2000 Toblach 1:22.36

Next races of the Top7 running series 2023 Sunday, June 4th: Cortina Toblach Run Sunday, July 2nd: Seiser Alm Half Marathon Saturday, July 15th: Lake Reschen Run Saturday, August 26th: Erdäpfllauf Sunday, September 24th: Soltn mountain half marathon Saturday, October 21st: AgeFactor Run Branzoll

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Africans dominate the Top7 race in Mezzocorona

Solomon Koech from Kenya and Clementine Mukandanga from Rwanda won the Teroldego Half Marathon, the third stage of the Top7 running series, in Mezzocorona on Saturday.

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