Kenyan athlete, Joyline Chepngeno, became the second African female athlete to win the Ultra-trail Mont Blanc OCC race around the Mont Blanc massif this morning (28 August) after holding off former winner, Chinese athlete Miao Yao in a desperately close finish.
Weather conditions dictated a change in the planned route, with the 1200 athletes running further (60,7km) with similar vertical elevation (3487m) than originally planned.
Three years ago, Chepngeno, a single mother of two who had excelled in steeplechase competition at high school, decided to get in shape again. Determined to succeed for her kids, she trained hard for two years, shed 30kg and entered the 2024 Sierra Zinal in top condition.
No one expected anticipated her to win at Sierra Zinal one of the most competitive races on the planet, but she did and defended her title three weeks ago.
She had never raced further than 30km but courage and determination took her to the start line of the OCC at the Swiss mountain town of Orsières this morning for a race twice that distance and she set off with the women’s lead pack as the athletes climbed to Champex-Lac 7km into the race.
Running with trail luminaries of the calibre of Yao, Swiss athletes Judith Wyder and Maude Mathys and Spanish athlete Sara Alonso, Chepngeno was part of the lead pack through Champex-Lac. But the Kenyan was the only athlete to stay within range as Yao took the lead and was 20 seconds clear of Chepngeno through Martigny after 22km.
The gap was still 20 seconds through 32km at Trient, but the roles were reversed as Chepngeno led the race through halfway, never again to be headed as she raced to what appeared a comfortable victory. But the drama was yet to unfold.
Chepngeno was over two minutes clear through the last checkpoint at Le Lavancher, 6km from the finish at Chamonix but appeared to be struggling in the latter stages of the race. She suddenly stopped on the trail with little more than 3km from the finish.
“It was very hard for me,” admitted Chepngeno. “I was having a lot of pain but was trying my best. When I stopped, it was like ‘why am I’m not seeing the finishing line – this is a very long race for me’”.
Meanwhile Yao, an experienced ultra-trail athlete, was fast closing and at that stage looking a sure bet to defend her title.
But something stirred in Chepngeno and she resumed running, soon back up to race pace, and somehow held on for a remarkable win in 5:34:03, just 70 seconds ahead of Yao with Wyder just three minutes back in third, left to ponder what might have been had she not been forced to stop for a train earlier in the race.
“I thought the Swiss train would have been on my side as a Swiss girl, but unfortunately it was not! So I lost some time and had to restart.”
If the women’s race was tight at the finish, the men’s was closer still, with American ultra-distance star and Ultra-trail Cape Town record-holder, Jim Walmsley, holding off impressive 41-year-old Italian mountain runner, Christian Minoggio, by just 20 seconds in a dramatic final 6km.
Walmsley admitted to have had problems with sourcing water at the aid station at Martigny, 22km into the race and again at Argentiere, 11km from the finish.
“There was no water available at Martigny,” Walmsley explained. “So when I got into Argentiere, I was needing water but couldn’t find any. There was sparkling water, cola and sports nutrition but I couldn’t find any water. So I was a little frustrated and then Christian just blew right past me at the station!
“Right out of the station I was 20 seconds down on Christian and 2km later the gap was one minute, then it grew to two minutes before I realised we had played around a little too much earlier and needed to get serious. I was very worried at that point.”
Walmsley, world record holder over 50 miles on the road, dug deep and put down the hammer in pursuit of his Italian rival, finally taking the lead less than 4km from home.
“Perhaps I was a little lucky about (the change in course due to the weather) and that I had a little road race at the end. I was looking back all the way and running scared to the line. But it was very rewarding to have that kind of competition. I knew I was just trying my hardest – so no regrets!”
Just five minutes separated the top five men in the closest finish in the history of the race, with Polish athlete Andrzej Witek taking third in 5:04:08.
Kane Reilly was first South African home in 6:20:33 in 81st position, while Michelle Rolfe excelled to win her age category (50-54 years) finishing in 7:51:30.
Results: UTMB OCC 60,7km
Men: 1 Jim Walmsley (USA / Hoka) 5:00:35; 2 Christian Minoggio (Italy / Kailas Fuga) 5:00:55; 3 Andrzej Witek (Poland/ Asics Fuji) 5:04:08; 4 Petter Engdahl (Sweden / adidas TERREX) 5:05:08; 5 Kristian Jones (UK / Elite Trail Team) 5:05:50
Women: 1 Joyline Chepngeno (Kenya / Milimani Runners Salomon) 5:34:03; 2 Miao Yao (China) 5:35:13; 3 Judith Wyder (Switz / Hoka Redbull) 5:38:22; 4 Maude Mathys (Switz Asics Fuji) 5:45:43; 5 Sara Alonso (Spain / Asics Fuji) 5:50:26
