FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kenyan runners dominate 2024 Life Time Miami Marathon and Half
18,000 runners from 49 states and 77 countries compete
in sold-out annual South Florida tradition
MIAMI, January 28, 2024 - Kenyans dominated the winners circle in the 2024
Life Time Miami Marathon and Half presented by FP Movement, taking three of
the four Marathon and Half Marathon titles, and top three medals in both
the men's and women's Marathon races.
George Onyancha became the second two-time winner of the 22nd annual
Marathon, and Leah Rotich outlasted 2023 champion Damaris Areba to win the
women's race by 12 seconds in a down-the-stretch sprint to the finish line.
And after dreaming he would win Miami's Half Marathon, Kenyan Soloman
Kagimbi went out and did just that, turning in the fourth fastest time
(1:04:29) in history and his fastest time on American soil.
And two--time duathlon world champion Joselyn Brea won the women's Half
Marathon (1:15:51).
Sunday's sold-out Life Time Miami Marathon and Half boasted 18,000 runners
from 49 states and 77 countries. The USTAF-certified and Boston
Marathon-qualifying course showcased the best views of Miami's cityscape
and waterways during the 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile races.
Runners were able to experience the South Florida sunrise nearly an hour
into their run, and the sparkling cruise ships docked at the Port of Miami
put an exclamation point on the view across the water.
Onyancha, a 30-year-old farmer by trade who grows maize, bananas and tea in
Kenya's Kisii region, joins Guatemalan Luis Rivera Gonzales in the Miami
Marathon record book as two-time winners. Rivera Gonzalez won titles in
2013 and 2015.
"I feel so happy to win this race because it was hot and there was more
competition this year than last year," said Onyancha, who plans to return
to Kenya next month for the birth of his son before returning to the U.S.
in April to run the Boston Marathon. "I know the course well because I won
here last year."
Onyancha, who used last year's winnings to buy a piece of land to build a
house, will share some of his 2024 earnings with his training partners to
help pay for their food and expenses, with the balance going to his growing
family.
Fellow Kenyans Luke Kibet (2:21:19) and Denis Kiura (2:27:30) finished
second and third behind Onyancha in the main race.
"I was determined," Onyancha said. "After 34 kilometers (just after mile
21), I decided to take off from the lead group because if I stayed in a
pack, somebody might kick and win. I didn't want to wait for anybody to
make a move.
"The humidity was high so the steam made it hard to breathe. But I kept
going hard because I knew the competition was coming. And I wanted to beat
my time from last year and improve."
Rotich's finish over defending champion Areba in the women's Marathon race
was the most exciting of the day.
"I felt overjoyed when I crossed the finish line because I did not expect
to win," said Rotich, who sported long braids and a colorful singlet in
just her fourth career marathon start.
Rotich, Areba and fellow Kenyan Hellen Jepkurgat were bunched for the first
20.51 miles. After Jepkurgat fell off the pace, Rotich and Areba ran
head-to-head until the race's last kilometer.
"When I took the lead, I was kind of nervous about it because I was not
sure," said Rotich, who also comes from a Kenyan farming family. "I did not
know if I was going to win or if she was going to close the gap and win. I
was thinking ‘she's more experienced than me. She's going to win'."
But that's when Rotich made her move.
"At 41 kilometers (20 ½ miles), it's a little bit hilly," Rotich said. "I
looked back and I realized she was hurting a little bit. I thought if I
make a move and take the lead on this hill, that might be a killer."
Rotich, 34, ran a personal-best time and appears to have a bright future in
marathoning. After running in and winning her maiden marathon in Des Moines
last October, she followed up that performance a month later by winning the
Bass Pro Shops Marathon in Springfield, Mo. Rotich plans to buy a piece of
land to eventually build a home. She and her husband and 2 year-old son
currently live in an apartment.
Areba, who ran the second fastest time in Miami Marathon history (2:33:49)
in winning the title a year ago, clocked in at 2:41:51 while Jepkurgat hung
on to third place (2:44:13).
Kagimbi, the half marathon winner, was the first runner to cross the finish
line after runners left the chute at the 6 a.m. race start.
"It's very great. It feels great to win," said the soft-spoken Kagimbi, who
was noticeably wobbly after his race. "This is a fast course so I expected
it to be fast.
"But it's hot. So I couldn't push too much. If I pushed too much, I'd get
exhausted very fast because of the humidity. So I kept a comfortable pace.
I had a stitch (in my side) at 15K (9.3 miles). But I tried to keep
moving."
Kagimbi won a pair of marathons in 2023 in Helsinki and Narva (Estonia),
and on this day battled Macedonian's Dario Ivanovski, 26, for much of the
race.
"He was pushing. At 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) I pushed past him," Kagimbi
said of Ivanovski, the holder of all Macedonian records from the 1,500
meters to the marathon. "He came on. I pushed again at 5K. I kept on
pushing and he was not able to handle what I was doing."
"On the 4th kilometer (2.49 miles) he started pushing very hard," said
Ivanovski. "He's very good. He's a very strong athlete. Respect to him."
The 29-year-old Brea already has impressive duathlon results, but is
gaining momentum in the running events she enters. She currently holds the
South American record in the mile and 5,000-meter run, and this was her
first appearance in the Miami Marathon.
"There was a lot of humidity. It was very warm," Brea said. She finished
nearly five minutes ahead of second place runner and compatriot Egris
Mailyn Arias Rodriguez (1:20:53) and the UK's Trady Barlow (1:21:00). "But
that's the conditions I like for running. So, for me, it was perfect. My
hydration was perfect and I felt comfortable running."
Brea's goal is to qualify for the '24 Paris Olympics in the 1,500 and 5,000
meter events.
"Right now I'm training really hard because I really want to go for the
Olympics," she said. "That's what I'm looking forward to."
Ivanovski, a first-time international visitor, was especially thrilled with
the United States and the beauty of the Miami course.
"All my life I dreamed of coming to the U.S. and to run with the best
people," he said." I'm here because my friends from Macedonia live here.
The beauty was the best. I've never run … this was the best course ever.
It's so inspiring.
Onyancha plans to return to Miami again, perhaps to become a three-time
winner.
"The course is beautiful," he said. "The trees are like umbrellas. I like
that. And the people were clapping and making noise. I did not hear the
language, but whenever they do that, it gives me extra energy. "
Miami Marathon participants and spectators were treated to a Finish
Festival at Bayfront Park featuring live music, food and activities. The
first-ever Life Time Miami Pickleball Exhibition was also on display with
professional pickleball players and Miami sports mascots coming together
for a one-of-a-kind experience.
The 2025 Life Time Miami Marathon and Half is scheduled for February 2. For
more information, visit themiamimarathon.com.
The Miami Marathon, with the support of the Miami Beach Visitor and
Convention Authority, is owned and produced by Life Time, the premier
healthy lifestyle brand. It is among more than 30 premier athletic events
operated by the company, including the Chicago Half Marathon, Garmin
UNBOUND Gravel, and the Leadville Race Series. To view and learn more about
Life Time athletic events, visit: my.lifetime.life/athletic-events.html.
More than 80 charities and organizations are partnered with the Life Time
Miami Marathon. In 2023, the event generated nearly $17M in local economic
impact and the race hosts almost as many international runners (30%) as
runners from Dade County (33%).
About Life Time, Inc.
Life Time (NYSE: LTH) empowers people to live healthy, happy lives through
its portfolio of more than 170 athletic country clubs across the United
States and Canada. The Company's healthy way of life communities and
ecosystem address all aspects of healthy living, healthy aging and healthy
entertainment for people 90 days to 90+ years old. Supported by a team of
more than 35,000 dedicated professionals, Life Time is committed to
providing the best programs and experiences through its clubs, iconic
athletic events and comprehensive digital platform.
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