Solomon Kagimbi of Columbia, SC, wins the overall title of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon on Saturday. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)
PARKERSBURG – Clear weather and high humidity greeted runners at the 36th Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon on Saturday, where Kenyan Solomon Kagimbi crossed the finish line first with a winning time of one hour, seven minutes and nine seconds.
Kagimbi, who lives in South Carolina, made the most of his first race in the Mid-Ohio Valley and went home with the $1,000 top prize.
“I am here to explore America. I have run well,” said Kagimbi, who won the Life Time Miami Half Marathon in January.
“It was up and down, sometimes flat. I enjoyed that. I enjoyed going downhill. It was hard, but I ran fast.”
When the race began, it was clear that Kagimbi would set the pace as he led from start to finish.
Despite the victory, Kagimbi admitted “I think I need to do some exercises to improve my performance. I enjoyed it. It was good.” Kagimbi also won the Road Runners Club of America regional championship.
Behind Kagimbi crossed the finish line were two familiar names – Andrew Taylor of Hilliard and fellow Buckeye and Belpre High School graduate Breydon Gates of Columbus.
Taylor, who received $750 for his second-place finish, finished in 1:15:46, slightly below his 2023 performance of 1:11:44.
“Much slower. It was much wetter this year,” admitted Taylor, who was almost two minutes ahead of Gates with a time of 1:17:38. “It’s just a really tough course. Lots of hills and the humidity this year just made it tough, but when you get to a cheering station it’s always like a motivation to give it a little more gas right there.”
Although Taylor won the Manitoba Marathon in June, he knew Saturday would be difficult with Kagimbi in the race.
“He said at the beginning that he would last 63 minutes, so I knew I better not try,” admitted Taylor, who just earned his doctorate in pharmacy from Butler University.
Taylor, who is preparing to move to Wabash, Indiana, to take a job as a pharmacist, finished second in the Ogden Half Marathon in May.
