{
  "id": 2138756,
  "title": "Over 5,000 runners, elite stars set for Belgut Half Marathon",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/over-5-000-runners-elite-stars-set-for-belgut-half-marathon",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-20T13:14:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "KBC",
    "slug": "kbc",
    "url": "https://www.kbc.co.ke/over-5000-runners-elite-stars-set-for-belgut-half-marathon/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "More than 5,000 runners are set to participate in the Belgut Half Marathon, a 21km race that will take place in Belgut, Kericho County, on Sunday, August 23, 2026. The event, founded by Belgut Member of Parliament Nelson Koech, aims to raise funds for bursaries and educational scholarships for underprivileged, orphaned and vulnerable students through the power of athletics. The race, which will also feature a 10km race and a 5km community fun run, will offer cash awards to the top 10 finishers in both men's and women's categories, with the overall winner of the 21km race taking home Ksh 500,000. The highlands of Kericho County, renowned for its breathtaking tea plantations, provide an ideal backdrop for a world-class marathon, according to Koech. Koech envisions the Belgut Half Marathon as more than just a race, but a movement to transform lives through education at the Starehe Boys' and Girls' Centre and across the constituency. The event has already attracted a strong field of elite athletes, with notable participants including Sandra Felis Chebet, Diana Chekemoi, Miriam Chebet, Edwin Bett, Leonard Barsoton, Kyumbe Munguti, and others, alongside the presence of Kenya's top athletics figures such as Faith Kipyegon, Eliud Kipchoge, Sheila Chepkurui, Timothy Cheruiyot, Mercy Cherono, and Ferguson Rotich.",
  "summary": "Sandra Felis, Kyumbe Munguti lead star-studded field as over 5,000 runners gear up for Belgut Half Marathon The post Over 5,000 runners, elite stars set for Belgut Half Marathon appeared first on KBC Digital .",
  "key_points": [
    "Over 5,000 runners expected for Belgut Half Marathon on August 23, 2026",
    "Event aims to fund bursaries and scholarships for underprivileged students",
    "Top 10 finishers in men's and women's categories receive cash awards"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}