Newsletters
The 21st Türkiye Is Bank Istanbul Half Marathon concluded with victories for Kenya in both the men’s and women’s elite races.
In the men’s race, defending champion Alex Matata (Kenya) successfully retained his title with a winning time of 1:01:01, reaffirming his dominance on the Istanbul course.
The race also featured a close finish within the family, as Matata edged out his twin brother Charles Matata, who took second place with a strong performance and a personal best. Türkiye’s Ali Kaya finished third overall with a time of 1:12:12.
The women’s race saw a commanding performance from Purity Gitonga (Kenya), who secured victory in 1:06:50.
She maintained control throughout the race to finish ahead of Ethiopia’s Ftaw Zeray, while South Africa’s Glenrose Xaba completed the podium in third place.
The event also served as the Turkish Half Marathon Championship, with national titles awarded based on overall standings among Turkish athletes.
In the men’s category, Ali Kaya was crowned Turkish champion, followed by Ramazan Bastug and Omer Amactan. In the women’s category, Nursena Ceto claimed the national title after finishing 10th overall with a personal best time of 1:11:27, ahead of Meliha Pınar Demirag and Yayla Kilic.
Beyond the elite podium battles, the race also produced notable record-breaking performances.
South Sudan’s Stella Mami Clement Lokhiri set a new national record with a time of 1:11:17, while Kazakhstan’s Shadrack Kimutai Koech established a new national record of 1:03:25.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
