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Lemma's London breakthrough:
Ethiopian celebrates biggest win of his career
at 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon
An elated Sisay Lemma knelt down and kissed the ground on The Mall after
crowning his distinguished road running career with a long-awaited Marathon
Major triumph that keeps the Virgin Money London Marathon elite men's title
in Ethiopia.
The 30-year-old, so long a consistent force over the distance, made up for
his disappointment at having to pull out during the Olympics with a superb
triumph on Sunday as the spectators returned to the streets of the world's
biggest race to cheer him home.
Lemma, who had been beaten into third place in a sprint finish in the 2020
event, run on a loop around St James's Park, was in no mood to let that
happen again and this time was determined to make his move a couple of
miles from home before roaring away from one of the strongest fields ever
assembled.
Vincent Kipchumba, the Kenyan who'd finished second – by just a second – to
another Ethiopian Shura Kitata last year had to settle for the runner-up
spot again, but found himself 27 seconds adrift at the finish as Lemma
clocked 2:04:01 to take the crown.
As his joy was mixed with complete exhaustion, Lemma could hardly have
looked more emotional as he savoured the biggest win of his career.
Just 56 days earlier, his Olympic dream had been shattered in Sapporo when
the heat and humidity proved too much for him – but a fine, cool autumn day
was just the ticket for Lemma today, as he confirmed after the race:
"Today was the biggest win of my career and a dream come true for me," he
said. "I came third last year here in London and to return 12 months later
and to win this great race is an incredible and proud moment."
It was the fifth-fastest time ever recorded in the London race and
continued the extraordinary record of every men's contest since 2002 being
won by either an Ethiopian or Kenyan after half a dozen of the top marathon
men from the two east African nations engaged in a wonderful battle.
The other podium place went to Lemma's compatriot Mosinet Geremew, who
maintained his proud record of never finishing outside the top five in a
major marathon, clocking 2:04:41 for third.
It marked a huge breakthrough for Lemma, who's no stranger to city marathon
wins, having triumphed in Warsaw, Vienna, Frankfurt and Ljubljana in the
past, but who has also had to endure near-misses in the biggest events,
most notably Berlin, Chicago and Tokyo, as well as London.
It proved a great day for Yorkshire's Philip Sesemann too, a former 1500m
runner and a junior doctor at a Leeds hospital, who made a striking debut
at the event – coming home as the leading Briton in seventh place in
2:12:58 on his 29th birthday.
"It was so special today to have family and friends on the course cheering
me on," he smiled after struggling badly in the later stages. "The last six
miles was a death march. It was just really difficult to get the pain out
of my head.
"My friends, family and colleagues have enabled me to reduce my hours,
reduce my risk to Covid and for me to continue with my training. It's my
birthday today too, so it's been a 10 out of 10 result for me!"
Back on the traditional Greenwich to Westminster route with wonderful
support from the roadside, this was an exceptional 41st edition of the
race, featuring five men who have all run under 2:04 for the distance – and
it was clear even within five minutes of racing that we'd see a new
champion crowned.
Defending champion Kitata, who admitted before the race that he was still
feeling the effects of a hamstring problem that forced him to pull out of
the Olympics, immediately accepted the early pace, on 2:03 schedule, was
going to be too hot for him.
With his left knee strapped, the champion never looked comfortable and was
already seven seconds down on the leading pack of six – Lemma, Kipchumba,
Geremew, Kenya's Titus Ekiru and Evans Chebet, and Ethiopian race favourite
Birhanu Legese – after the first five kilometres.
Yet the 25-year-old, whose victory over the seemingly invincible Eliud
Kipchoge in the 2020 race made him a nationally adored figure, demonstrated
considerable spirit as he battled on in no man's land behind the leading
pack.
He could easily have given up, but he kept persevering to clock 2:07:51 and
finish a distant but hugely creditable sixth.
By halfway, the leading six were on course to challenge Kenyan great Eliud
Kipchoge's course record of 2:02:37, but that target gradually slipped out
of sight as Ekiru, the world's fastest man this year, was the first to
crack at about 17 miles, coming to a halt clutching his hamstring before
restarting and then realising he couldn't carry on.
Down to five, Lemma, who, ironically, had looked perhaps the weakest of the
quintet at the back of the bunch, pushed hard down the Embankment and,
surprisingly, it was Legese, the third-fastest man in history, and Chebet,
the world's quickest last year, who first found his insertion of pace too
tough to cope with.
Kipchumba and Geremew were soon shaken off too, but the Kenyan was
ultimately content with another second place, having set a new lifetime
best of 2:04:28.
"Everything went to plan today, I am very happy with my time, very happy.
To achieve my personal best is something I was aiming for today," said
Kipchumba.
But Geremew, second in 2019, was left evidently frustrated. "Today was not
bad and not good," he said. "I'm not happy with my time."
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