Eliud Kipchoge led a Kenyan clean sweep of the podium places as he won the men’s London Marathon on Sunday in an unofficial time of two hours, four minutes and 41 seconds.
The final mile saw former world 5,000 metres champion Kipchoge sprint clear of Wilson Kipsang, last year’s winner, with world record-holder Dennis Kimetto finishing in third place.
Victory saw Kipchoge add the London title to his wins in last year’s Rotterdam and Chicago marathons.
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Kipchoge, 30, who went up in distance after his world title success on the track in Paris in 2003, beat a field featuring the three-fastest marathon runners of all-time.
His winning time on Sunday was well outside Kipsang’s London record of 2hrs 04 mins and 29 secs set last year but as he smiled and waved to the crowd down the finishing straight, it was clear that victory meant more to Kipchoge than a fast time.
Kipsang’s unofficial time of 2:04:47 would, if confirmed, make him the quickest-ever London runner-up, surpassing Stanley Biwott’s 2:04:55 last year. Kimetto came in third this year in an unofficial time of 2:05:50, with Biwott in fourth place.
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In the women’s race, there was a shock win for Tigist Tufa as the Ethiopian ended fours years of Kenyan domination in London.
Tufa, 28, was only the ninth-fastest competitor in the elite women’s field but, following a protracted tactical battle, broke clear from the pack and even had time to wave to the crowd down the finishing straight as she won by some 18 seconds from Kenya’s Mary Keitany in an unofficial time of two hours, 23 minutes and 22 seconds.
Radcliffe bids adieuThe day also marked British distance-running heroine Paula Radcliffe’s farewell to the event.
Running among the main field, rather than with the elite competitors, the 41-year-old was bowing out on the same course where in 2003 she set a women’s world record of 2:15:25 that still stands.
Radcliffe crossed the line on Sunday in an unofficial time of 2:36:55.
The results (top five):
Men: 1. Eliud Kipchoge (Ken) 2:04:42s, 2. Wilson Kipsang (Ken) 2:04:47, 3. Dennis Kimetto (Ken) 2:05:50, 4. Stanley Biwott (Ken) 2:06:41 5. Tilahun Regassa (Eth) 2:07:16.
Women: 1. Tigist Tufa (Eth) 2:23:22, 2. Mary Keitany (Ken) 2:23:40, 3. Tirfi Tsegaye (Eth) 2:23:41, 4. Aselefech Mergia (Eth) 2:23:53, 5. Florence Kiplagat (Ken) 2:24:15. — Agencies