Kebede, Jeptoo bask in glory

Londoners embrace marathon

 Priscah Jeptoo took advantage of a fall by Ethiopia’s Olympic champion Tiki Gelana to give Kenya their third successive victory in the women’s race at the London Marathon on Sunday.

Ethiopian Tsegaye Kebede made up for missing out on the Olympics and destroyed Kenyan hopes of retaining the men’s title by overhauling 2011 winner Emmanuel Mutai in the closing stages to win in two hours six minutes and four seconds.

People turned out in force in the sunshine to support the elite athletes and some 36,000 fun-runners taking part in the London event which took place six days after the Boston Marathon bombings.

A 30-second silence was held before the men’s race and mass start and many of the competitors had black ribbons pinned to their tops in honour of the three dead and over 170 injured in Boston.

Women’s pre-race favourite Gelana collided with wheelchair athlete Josh Cassidy at a drinks station at 15 km and had dropped off the pace by the halfway mark of the 42.195-km race, eventually finishing 16th.

Jeptoo, second to Gelana at the London Olympics, was always up with the front runners and, after a cagey first half, the 28-year-old pulled away from compatriot and world champion Edna Kiplagat after 30km.

Her arms flailing as she ran alone up the Mall to the finish, Jeptoo crossed the line in 2:20:15. Draped in a red towel, she dropped to the floor, palms together in front of her in prayer.


Results: Men: Tsegaye Kebede (Eth, 2::06:04) 1; Emmanuel Kipchirchir Mutai (Ken, 2::06:33) 2; Ayele Abshero (Eth, 2::06:57) 3.
Women: Priscah Jeptoo (Ken, 2::20:15 ) 1; Edna Ngeringwony Kiplagat (Ken, 2::21:32) 2; Yukiko Akaba (Jpn, 2::24:43) 3.