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Kiptum makes marathon history to win London's crown
Kenya's newcomer smashes the course record to win the men's title
on his London Marathon debut
Kelvin Kiptum produced a stunning performance to make marathon history in
London this morning as the young Kenyan surged away from a field full of
champions to smash the course record in only his second attempt at the
distance.
Kiptum ran the quickest debut ever when he clocked 2:01:53 in Valencia just
five months ago, and came to London as the young pretender, the newcomer
among a line-up of more experienced men.
But the 23-year-old pretender became the master on London's wet roads as he
laid down a race for the ages, powering clear over the last 10 kilometres
to win by almost three minutes in 2:01:25.
It is not only the second fastest of all time over 26.2 miles, but the
first sub-2:02 time on the London course, more than a minute inside Eliud
Kipchoge's 2019 mark and just 16 seconds outside his world record. Six
months ago Kiptum had never run a marathon, but now he holds two of the
five fastest times ever.
"I'm very happy to run the second fastest time in history," he said
afterwards. "My preparation was good, and I was very happy to race in
London. The cheering gave me great motivation."
It wasn't just Kiptum's time that caught the eye, but manner of his
victory, for he dominated the race from the start, leading through almost
every check point before kicking in an incredible second-half surge timed
at 59:45, by far the fastest ever.
At one time even Kipchoge's world-beating mark was in danger, but Kiptum
finally tired in the last couple of miles.
"I thought I could run 2:03, even 2:02," said Kiptum. "But I didn't think
I'd be close to the world record. Even in the last few miles, I wasn't
thinking about it. Maybe next year."
Fellow Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor was the best of the rest, the two-time New
York City Marathon champion taking second in a personal best of 2:04:23,
almost three minutes behind, while Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola was third in
2:04:59, the world champion hampered by the rain.
"I just couldn't keep pace with Kelvin after he pulled away," said the
resigned Kamworor afterwards.
Nor could anyone else, and no surprise for Kiptum looked supremely
confident from the moment four-time champion Kipchoge sent the elite field
on its way from Greenwich.
Among the cast of 30 runners were two of the three men who have ever run
this distance quicker than 2:02, a first for any race, plus three who have
broken 2:03 and six sub-2:04 runners.
But Kiptum seemed undaunted by the talent around him, leading nine men
through the speedy early stages and over Tower Bridge to pass halfway in
61:40, a touch outside their target time, but with the course record well
in their sights.
It wasn't going to fall to the great Ethiopian, Kenenisa Bekele, for the
fastest man in the field soon began to lose touch, the 40-year-old outrun
by his younger rivals. None younger than Kiptum, who slowly began his
charge around the Isle of Dogs, picking up speed to reach 30K near Canary
Wharf in 1:27:23, a 14:30 5K split that shredded the group.
It was now that Kiptum kicked, pushing so hard that he missed his drink at
the feed station. Undeterred, he threw in 4:33 and 4:23 miles to mile 20,
leaving the bunch in tatters. He quickly opened a yawning gap on the
suddenly strung-out line of chasers, powering on through Rainbow Row and
down the Highway with five hard miles in front of him and an empty wet road
behind.
Kamworor was now clear in second, but there was no catching Kiptum, whose
5K split to 35K clocked in at a scintillating 13:49. He now had victory in
his sights and history in mind as he continued to pound on through the
puddles, passing the crowds on along Victoria Embankment and Big Ben to
reach the Finish Line in The Mall.
He broke the tape with fingers pointed skywards in triumph, before
collapsing to the tarmac in utter exhaustion.
Last year's runner-up Leul Gebresilase was fourth with Seifu Tura fifth
while Emile Cairess was the first Briton home, the 25-year-old living up to
his promise with a finely judged debut run that took him past Sir Mo Farah
into sixth in 2:08:07 - a time that makes him the second quickest Briton on
London's course.
Farah was third among the domestic athletes, finishing ninth overall in his
final London Marathon, just behind Phil Sesemann and a place ahead of his
old friend and training partner Chris Thompson.
"I'm very proud to have run in London," said Farah. "This is where I grew
up. It was a great crowd, and if it wasn't for them, I would have dropped
out. It was a big deal."
"It was a privilege to share the road with a British legend," said Cairess.
It was a privilege to watch Kiptum, too, as London's marathon newcomer
announced himself as the man of the future.
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