00:006, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
00:12And just like that, the 20th UE Half-Spec International Marathon was off and running.
00:18With a 13.1 mile course starting at the UE Sports and Physical Education Centre
00:23taking runners along the priority bus route to La Resource Junction in Dabidi and back.
00:27And 15 minutes after the marathon started, the 5K got going.
00:40Exactly 17 minutes and 15 seconds later, Kawani Kwamena just managed to edge out Jamal Bailey to win the 5K
00:46with Raheem Modis in third, while Nyla Kerr led the women in 18 minutes and 51 seconds.
00:52But coming through the crowd of the 5K runners was the half-marathon defending champ Alexi Kesa.
00:57He stopped the clock in 1 hour, 9 minutes and 13 seconds, followed by Tafari Waldron and Donnell Francis.
01:04While the first female was Alexia John in 1 hour, 30 minutes and 54 seconds,
01:09with April Francis and Celine Nestrade finishing second and third respectively.
01:14And the men's champ Alexi Kesa gave kudos to UE, but would like to see even more competition.
01:19UE and the organizing committee of the UE half-marathon have been doing best and they have actually done all
01:28the years I've been taking part.
01:30I think they can do a little bit more in terms of maybe to bring in more elites from other
01:39different parts of the world.
01:41That will raise the standard of the event.
01:44And the female winner Alexia John was proud of her achievement in only her second year of running.
01:49I'm very excited to be the first place female.
01:52I came second last year, so I was determined to win the race this year.
01:56And I'm excited about my personal best.
02:00I mean, I didn't do a personal best today, but it was a personal best for this course.
02:04Because last year I ran 1.33 and I think this year was 1.30.
02:08So I'm excited about that.
02:10Terrence Clark, TV6 Sport.
