By Helen Reid
LONDON (RockedBuzz via Reuters) – Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum set a record on the London Marathon course on Sunday, finishing in two hours, one minute and 25 seconds, almost three minutes ahead of second-placed Geoffrey Kamworor in a rain-soaked and packed race. dramas.
Kiptum, who ran the fastest ever debut marathon in Valencia last year, made his break at mile 19, establishing a solid lead to deliver the second fastest marathon of all time.
The 23-year-old collapsed to the ground, exhausted, after crossing the finish line. He ran the second half of the race in just 59 minutes and 45 seconds.
“I’m so happy with the result,” Kiptum told the BBC. “I don’t know what to say right now, I’m just grateful.”
Previously, Dutch middle-distance athlete Sifan Hassan scored a stunning result by winning his debut marathon, an event he saw as a test that could pave the way for his competition over the marathon distance at the Paris Olympics next year. year.
Hassan, who won Olympic gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m, made a dramatic comeback from an early injury to prevail over Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir and defending London champion Yelamzerf Yehualaw in what organizers called the best women’s field elite for the event.
The 30-year-old appeared to be suffering from pain around her hip flexor just under an hour later, falling behind as she stopped and stretched, but caught up with the lead group with just over sixkm to go.
Hassan finished in 2:18:34 with a desperate sprint in the last 100 meters, three seconds ahead of Ethiopian Alemu Megertu, second. Jepchirchir of Kenya finished third.
“I learned to be patient and run your race,” Hassan said at a news conference. “Keep going as much as you can and maybe you’ll surprise yourself.”
Hassan said she plans to run the marathon in Chicago or New York later this year after focusing on track for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August.
The women’s marathon world record holder, Kenyan Brigid Kosgei, was a surprise early abandonment, limped off the course less than three minutes into the race. She has been battling a hamstring injury.
In his last marathon before retiring, Briton Mo Farah finished ninth in 2:10:28.
Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won the elite men’s wheelchair race, beating his own record with a time of 1:23:44 for his third consecutive win in London. Madison de Rozario of Australia conquered the women’s wheelchair race in 1:38:51, winning in thrilling fashion against Switzerland’s Manuela Schaer.
(Reporting by Helen Reid; editing by Clare Fallon)
Leave a Comment