Diphoko Wins Orange Phikwe Marathon
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Monday September 16, 2019 10:24
Diphoko who has been in fine form clocked 2:24 to finish ahead of Kenyan runner, Isaac Kiprop Kigen, 33, who scooped second position on 2:36.
He recently won the Botswana Life half marathon in Gaborone. In an interview, the 30-year-old runner said he prepared well for the race. “I prepared well for this race as I wanted to win it this year after losing out in the last year’s race by a few seconds.
I put in a lot of work and you could see after 30 km I was very comfortable when I took the lead. The competition was fantastic and the Kenyans gave me a run for my money,” he said.
Diphoko said from the start, he could realise that the other runners were marking him.
“The Kenyans are very smart and I could see that they were targeting me from the start. I was encouraged because it showed they feared me. The other guy I trained with in Kenya, he told them about me.
The huge respect they had for made me believe that I could go all the way and win it. I also know the terrain very well,” he said.
Diphoko stated that he wants to rest and prepare for the Soweto Marathon slated for November. He said he did not do well in the previous races.
But he wants to use the marathon to qualify for the Olympics that has always been his biggest dream.
On another level, the 42.2 km women’s category was won by Monicah Jepkorir after running 3:03.34.
Meanwhile, the marathon sponsors, Orange Botswana announced that they have renewed the sponsorship for another three years after the partnership with the local organising committee ended last year.