Kiplangat aims for win at Gent Half-Marathon

Victor Kiplangat wrapped up 2021 on a high by winning his debut 42km race at the Istanbul Marathon in Turkey last November.
His coach Addy Ruiter and manager Jurrie van der Velden speak in high regard of the budding star.
He won with a time of two hours, 10 minutes and 18 seconds but, the 22-year-old is ranked seventh among the Ugandans who have beaten the qualifying standard of 2:11:30 to the Oregon World Championships due July in USA.

With only three quota slots available to Oregon, Kiplangat plans to improve his marathon time sometime next month but first, he will warm-up with a 21km race at the Gent Half-Marathon in Belgium today. “He is in a very good shape,” Kiplangat’s coach Ruiter said. “He must go for the win,” he added.
Moving up 
Kiplangat transitioned to full marathon last year after finishing seventh at the 2020 Delhi Half-Marathon in India in a personal best time of 59 minutes and 26 seconds.

The man who finished 16th at the 2020 World Half-Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland travelled to Gent in company of Mathew Chekwurui.
Chekwurui, who was a pacesetter in Delhi two years ago, now will be in the field that comprises favourite Somali-born Belgian Abdi Basir who won marathon bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics last year. Kenyan Simon Cheprot will also be in the fray. 

UGANDANS IN ACTION
Gent Half-Marathon: Victor Kiplangat, Matthew Chekwurui 

KIPLANGAT AT A GLANCE
Full Name: Victor Kiplangat
Date of birth: Nov 10, 1999
Major Events: 
Half-Marathon, Marathon
Personal Bests: 59:26 (21km), 2:10:18 (42km)
Coach: Addy Ruiter
Manager: 
Jurrie van der Velden

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