TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The 16th Kinmen Marathon attracted 8,000 participants on Sunday (Feb. 12), who took part in runs of various distances, such as a full marathon, half-marathon, and 10k race.
This year was notable as it was the first time the race course included crossing the Kinmen Bridge, as competitors ran to nearby Lieyu Island before returning. Some runners were attracted to this competition's views, cool sea breeze, and comfortable climate, according to UDN reporting.
In the full marathon, Joseph Mwangi Ngare from Kenya took the lead shortly after the start of the race and led the entire way, crossing the finish line in 2:21:04. Taiwanese runner Chiang Chieh-wen (蔣介文) took second place with a time of 2:24:50.
In the women's race, Priscila Chepatiy Kipruto, also from Kenya, finished first with a time of 3:00:19. She was followed by Taiwan's Lee Chia-mei (李佳玫), who took second place at 3:02:05.
Large crowds turn out for Kinmen Marathon. (CNA photo)
The pair of Kenyan champions traveled to Taiwan from Malaysia just two days ago, noting their entire trip to Kinmen took them 50 hours to complete. They said the race course was quite challenging, though they both pledged to return next year to defend their titles, per UDN.
Taiwanese runner Chiang, aged 41, said Sunday’s race was his first marathon of the year and that it went well. He added that his Kenyan counterpart was just too fast, despite being 47 years old. Chieh said his performance was an encouragement and he will keep running competitively for at least a few more years.
Race conditions were cool and foggy, limiting the ocean views that some had been anticipating. Still, after being held for the first time in three years, a lot of runners were happy to participate. The same was true for Saturday’s (Feb. 11) 5 km fun run which drew approximately 13,000 participants.
Participants in Saturday's fun run were given gift bags containing various items, including a bottle of Kinmen Kaoliang liquor produced in the area. This led to long lines at the end of the race as people jostled to get these giveaways, though in the end they were happy to be outside and engaging in a bit of physical fitness.
