Elijah Mbaire and Agnes Mumbua Ndolo emerged as the men’s and women’s champions at the fourth edition of the Betika Lukenya 10 Million Trees Marathon, which took place on Saturday in Kambu Town.
Mbaire showcased an impressive performance in the men’s full marathon, completing the race in 2:16:44 to narrowly defeat Charles Munyua Njoki by just one second, marking one of the closest finishes in the event’s history.
Njoki secured the second position with a time of 2:16:45, while Dennis Koech claimed third place in 2:17:00. Reflecting on his victory, Mbaire attributed his triumph to a strong final push.
“I’m very grateful for this win. The competition was intense, and even after the 35km mark, four of us were still together. At that point, I decided to give my all and accelerate because I anticipated a very close finish,” he explained.
In the women’s category, Mumbua demonstrated her dominance by claiming victory in 2:42:56.
Fridah Chepkite Todepa finished as the runner-up in 2:48:33, with Naomi Wambui Muriuki taking third place in 2:49:29.
The champions each received Ksh 500,000, while the second-place finishers earned Ksh 200,000, and the third-place athletes claimed Ksh 100,000 each. Prize money was distributed up to the 10th position in each category.
During the half marathon, Zakariah Kirika Gacugu secured the men’s title with a time of 1:02:06, followed by Leonard Kiprotich (1:02:21) and Peter Kiprop Rutoh (1:02:38).
Betty Chepkiror emerged victorious in the women’s half marathon, finishing in 1:12:02, just ahead of Phena Siyoi (1:12:03), with Ruth Mwihaki rounding out the podium in 1:12:25.
Betika Group CEO Mutua Mutava highlighted the broader significance of the event.
“We firmly believe in the transformative power of sports to improve lives and create opportunities. Our ongoing support demonstrates our dedication to developing local talent and uniting communities,” he stated.
“Beyond the competition, we are also committed to community impact through initiatives such as medical camps and sustainability projects, including planting over 2,000 trees.”
The event drew more than 200 participants and featured competitions across various distances, including 42km, 21km, 10km, cycling races, an 84km professional race, and an under-23 42km category.
Beyond the athletic competition, the marathon reinforced its environmental mission by planting 2,200 trees during the event, contributing to the ambitious 10 Million Trees initiative aimed at restoring forest cover in the Lukenya ecosystem.