After a blistering season on the roads, 29-year-old Caroline Gitonga is eyeing a grand finish to her stellar 2025 campaign when she lines up for the Ravenna Half Marathon in Italy on Sunday.
Gitonga has been in red-hot form this season, blending consistency with class across Europe’s major road circuits.
She kicked off her season at the Castellon 10K, finishing eighth in 30:46 in a race dominated by Ethiopians. Medina Eisa won in 29:25, followed by Likina Amebaw (29:40) and Aynadis Mebratu (30:05)
Unfazed, Gitonga roared back into form at the Drammen 10K in Norway, clocking 30:56 for second behind her sister Purity Gitonga, who won in 30:44.
Her winning momentum continued at the Wien 5K in Austria, where she stormed to victory in 14:56, holding off Uganda’s Esther Chebet (15:05) and Slovakia’s Klara Lukan (15:16).
Switching gears to the track, Gitonga claimed the 5,000m title at the Gold Gala Fernanda Ribeiro in Portugal with a 14:47.41 finish. Her sister Purity followed in 15:13.40, with Chebet taking third in 15:14.82.
Back on the roads, the Kenyan ace triumphed at the Drammen Half Marathon on September 6, clocking 1:08:59 to outkick hosts Bethina Lover (1:17:05) and Hedda Schroeter (1:18:51).
Her most recent outing came at the Dam tot Damloop 10K in Amsterdam on September 21, where she placed third in 51:34.
Newly crowned New York Marathon champion Hellen Obiri won in 50:51, followed by Ethiopian Asayech Ayichew (50:56).
Race organisers have promised another lightning-fast contest this weekend, noting that last year’s edition ranked among the three fastest half marathons in Italy in the women’s category.
“There is great anticipation for the half marathon after last year’s edition, where it ranked among the three fastest races in Italy in the women’s field, behind only the Roma Ostia and the Stramilano,” organisers said in a statement.
Gitonga made her half marathon debut in 2016 at Klagenfurt in Austria, clocking 1:21:48 for fourth. She returned the following year to place fifth but improved her time to 1:16:55, and later secured a fourth-place finish (1:15:46) in Krems, Austria, that same year.
In the men’s race, Kenya’s hopes will rest on Enos Kales, who will be keen to build on his recent third-place finish at the Bologna Marathon, where he timed 2:29:12.
by TEDDY MULEI
