Sports

Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum sets world marathon record in Chicago

Published

7 months ago

October 9, 2023

Kenyan long distance runner, Kelvin Kiptum, on Sunday, set a new world record in the Chicago Marathon when he finished in 2 hours, 35 seconds to shatter the previous record set by compatriot, Eliud Kipchoge’s by 34 seconds.

Kiptum, who also won the London Marathon earlier in the year in a time of 2:01:25, had also taken almost a minute off the world record set last year in Berlin by Kipchoge, himself a two-time Olympic champion and the most successful marathoner ever to come out of Africa.

Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands also took advantage of cool and cloudy weather that is considered ideal for a marathon to win the women’s race in 2:13:44 —the second-fastest ever for a woman at the 26.2-mile distance.

Kiptum won the London Marathon in the spring in 2:01:25 and shaved almost a minute off the world record set last year in Berlin by Kipchoge.

Prior to the Chicago Marathon, Kiptum had also run the second fastest time in history to win the
London Marathon in a time of 2:01:25 in April.

Kiptum, who had only run two marathons in his career before setting the world record time, made his debut in Valencia 10 months ago, where he finished in a time of 2:01:53 before heading to London.

“I knew I was coming for a course record, but a world record – I am so happy,” Kiptum said after the race.

“A world record was not on my mind today, but I knew one day I would be a world record-holder.”

He now holds two of the fastest times in history, basically setting up an interesting spectacle ahead of next year’s Paris Olympics, where he is expected to square up against Kipchoge.

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Sports

Al Ahly, Esperance to clash in CAF Champions League final

Published

1 day ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Two of Africa’s club giants, Egypt’s Al Ahly and Esperance of Tunisia, will do battle next month over two legs for the right to be crowned champions of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Title-holders Al Ahly and their long-standing rivals Esperance both booked their places in the final with dramatic semi-final victories over DR Congo”s TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa respectively on Friday night.

While Al Ahly, winners of five of the last seven editions of the continent’s top draw tournament, with a record 11 in total, overcame TP Mazembe with a 3-0 aggregate victory in the semi-final second leg after a goalless first leg last Saturday, Esperance surprised Sundowns with a 1-0 victory in Pretoria to wrap up a 2-0 aggregate win.

The two-legged final will mark the third encounter between Ahly and Esperance in the Champions League final, with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians triumphing in 2018.

In 2023, the two clubs clashed in the semi-finals with Ahly emerging victorious home and away, securing a 4-0 aggregate triumph.

Esperance who are aiming for a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on May 18, with the return fixture scheduled in Cairo seven days later.

Sports

Former Zambian captain Rainford Kalaba discharged from hospital after near-fatal accident

Published

3 days ago

April 26, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Former Zambian national team captain, Rainford Kalaba, has been discharged from hospital weeks after he was involved in a near-fatal accident where he sustained serious injuries.

The accident which involved a head-on collision between a Mercedes-Benz car in which Kalaba was in, and a truck, had initially sparked fears for his life and has since been in the Intensive Care Unit of the Zambian University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

The good news on the footballer’s progress was released by the UTH Public Relations Officer, Nzeba Chanda, who informed that the Chipolopolo legend has been discharged after showing positive signs of recovery.

“Mr. Rainford Kalaba has been discharged from the UTH-Adult where he was admitted after being involved in a road traffic accident two weeks ago,” Chanda said, adding that Kalaba will continue his recovery at his family home.

According to local media reports, the 37-year-old was a passenger in a Mercedes Benz when it collided with an oncoming truck in the south-eastern Zambian town of Kafue a week and five days ago.

In his active playing days, Kalaba spent the majority of his club career at TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, winning the CAF Champions League with the club in 2015 and the CAF Confederation Cup in 2016.

He also had a spell with clubsides in Portugal including FC Braga, and was a major part of the Zambian squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 under Frenchman, Herve Renard.