At the Rotterdam Marathon on 9 April, Marius Kimutai ran the two half marathon segments in nearly even times of 1:03:09 and 1:02:55, with his winning time of 2:06:04 being his carrer no. 2 performance over the distance, just seconds off his personal best (2:05:47, ’16 Amsterdam). Kimutai closed strongly enough to hold off pursuers Lawrence Cherono (2nd in 2:06:21) and Laban Korir (3rd in 2:06:25). The time puts Kimutai in sixth place on the ’17 world marathon performance chart, currently led by Wilson Kipsang (2:03:58, Tokyo). Also performing well in Rotterdam was Felix Kiptoo Kirwa, who with his 7th place time of 2:08:12 improved his personal best for the distance by more than 6 minutes.
Agnes Barsosio likewise executed an even-paced race in the Paris Marathon on 9 April, with her two halves clocked in 1:10:19 and 1:10:40, respectively. Barsosio didn’t lose contact with eventual winner, Purity Cherotich Rionoripo, until the last kilometer, with the final margin between the two being a very tight 2:20:55 to 2:20:59. Barsosio set a new personal best by over 3 minutes (2:24:03 at ’13 Daegu) and she now occupies the no. 3 spot on the ’17 women’s world marathon performance chart behind Sarah Chepchirchir (2:19:47, Tokyo) and Rionoripo. She also moves to 14th on the Kenya all-time women’s marathon performers list.
Other Personae-managed athletes with recent noteworthy performances on the road included James Rungaru at the Den Haag Half Marathon on 12 March (3rd in 1:00:48); Samson Bungei at the Zhengzhou Marathon on 26 March (2nd in 2:10:27); and Eliud Barngetuny at the Milano Marathon on 2 April (5th in 2:10:23 PB).