London – Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge got the better of compatriot and defending champion Wilson Kipsang to win the London Marathon by five seconds on Sunday with world record holder Dennis Kimetto third.
Kipchoge, a former world champion at 5 000m, and Kipsang broke clear in the closing stages after a blistering race but it was Kipchoge who finished with a decisive burst of speed to win in 2:04.42.
Kipsang clocked 2:04.47 and Kimetto 2:05.50 after he failedwith the late break of the leading pair.
Labelled the “clash of the champions” by organisers, Sunday’s race – headlined by Kenyans Kipsang, Kimetto, Emmanuel Mutai and Stanley Biwott – pitted eight sub-2:05 runners and five of the all-time top-10 in one of the fastest fields ever assembled.
Ethiopia’s Tigist Tufa was the surprise winner of the women’s London Marathon on Sunday after her powerful late break saw her cruise home 18 seconds clear of Kenyan Mary Keitany.
After a tentative race Tufa broke clear in the closing miles and sauntered down the Mall, waving to the crowd, to clock two hours, 23 minutes, 22 seconds, followed by Keitany (2:23.40) and Ethiopian Tirfi Tsegaye (2:23.41).
The race was expected to be dominated by Kenya’s “fantastic four” of Keitany, Edna and Florence Kiplagat and Priscah Jeptoo but they struggled in blustery conditions around the twisting London streets.
Despite the stellar field the race was a cagey affair and with many of the leading names refusing to make a break it was Tufa who finished best with a dominant late burst. – Reuters