Breaks GO! St. Louis Half Marathon Record

Published by Running USA on April 6, 2014

Kellyn Johnson, 27, from Flagstaff, Ariz. set a new women’s GO! St. Louis Half Marathon record Sunday, with a time of 1 hour, 11 minutes, 51 seconds. On the men’s sideJacob Chemtai, 27, from Santa Fe, N.M. narrowly missed breaking the men’s half-marathon record set in 2013 by Aaron Braun (1:03:13). Chemtai finished in1:03:14.

More than $17,000 in prize money was awarded to the half-marathon invitational field, including a $5000 prize for both Johnson and Chemtai.

Chemtai out-dueled Jordan Chipangama, 25, who finished with a time of 1:03:31. Chipangama competes for Northern Arizona Elite, and is quickly becoming a frequent top finisher at GO! St. Louis races. Chipangama also finished second in last year’s GO! St. Louis Half Marathon. Third place went to Stephen Pifer, 29, Louisville, Colo. with a time of 1:03:45. The top local elite was Big River Running’s Matt O’Connor, 27, who finished sixth with a 1:05:32.

In the women’s field Johnson eclipsed Mattie Suver’s record of 1:12:22, set in 2013. She out-paced Pasca Cheruiyot, 27, who finished with a 1:15:09. Sarah Kiptoo, 24, took home third place with a time of 1:16:31. Kiptoo also finished third in last year’s women’s half-marathon.

In the marathon race, David Glennon, 32, from Boulder, Colo. outlasted the field, posting a 2:34:34. He was followed by Stephen Marthy, 26, Saint Robert, Mo.,  with a time of 2:38:51.  Finishing third in the marathon was Matthias Messner, 32 from Boulder, Colo., with a time of 2:40:44.

In the women’s marathon race, Jenny Graef, 28 from Stillwater, Ok. was the first women to cross the line with a time of 2:57:18. Graef finished ahead of Lauren Mulac, 25, from Chicago, and third place finisher Kendall Schler, 25, Columbia, Mo.

GO! St. Louis Half-Marathon

St. Louis, MO, Sunday, April 6, 2014

MEN
1) Jacob Chemtai (KEN), 27, Santa Fe, NM – 1:03:14, $5000
2) Jordan Chipangama (KEN), 25, Flagstaff, AZ – 1:03:31, $2500
3) Stephen Pifer, 29, Louisville, CO – 1:03:45, $1000

WOMEN
1) Kellyn Johnson, 27, Flagstaff, AZ – 1:11:51, $5000
2) Pasca Cheruiyot, 27, KEN – 1:15:09, $2500
3) Sara Kiptoo, 24, Santa Fe, NM – 1:16:31, $1000