London Marathon: Kenyans Kipchoge and Cheruiyot Celebrate Double Win

Kenyan runners have dominated this year’s London Marathon, with Eliud Kipchoge winning his third title, while Vivian Cheruiyot won the women’s race.

Kipchoge finished in two hours, four minutes and 17 seconds in front of Ethiopia’s Tola Shura Kitata (2:04:49) and the UK’s Mo Farah (2:06:21).

Cheruiyot won in two hours, 18 minutes and 31 seconds, a personal best time.

She came ahead of her compatriot, Brigid Kosgei (2:20:13), and Ethiopia’s Tadelech Bekele (2:21:40).

Kipchoge – regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time – was on course for a new world record, but slowed in the final stages of a gruelling race in record warm temperatures.

This year’s marathon has been declared the hottest on record.

Olympic 5,000m champion Cheruiyot ran her first marathon in London last year and finished fourth overall.

Last year’s winner, Mary Keitany, also from Kenya, and Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba had been looking to break the “mixed gender” race world record, but both faded during the race.

Keitany had been on course to break the record, but eventually finished fifth (2:24:27), having lost the lead she had held from the start with around five miles remaining.

Source: BBC