The Kenyan Benson Kipruto (second from the right, in light orange) at the start of the Tokyo marathon, March 3, 2024, with in particular Eliud Kipchoge (third from the left, in white and orange). KIMIMASA MAYAMA / VIA REUTERS
“It’s like that, it’s not Christmas every day”. Fatalist but realistic, the Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge suffered a hitch in his preparation to try to win a third consecutive Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games, finishing on Sunday March 3 in a disappointing tenth place in the marathon. from Tokyo.
The race was won by his compatriot Benson Kipruto in 2 h 2 min 16 s, who broke the course record, ahead of two other Kenyans, Timothy Kiplagat (2 h 2 min 55 s) and Vincent Ngetich (2 h 4 min 18 s). Kipchoge, 39, crossed the finish line in 2:06:50, more than 4:30 after the winner.
The event took place less than a month after the death of world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and his Rwandan coach Gervais Hakizimana in a road accident in Kenya. Kiptum, 24, recently broke the world record previously held by Kipchoge, with a time of 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon. The two athletes were to compete for the first time at the Paris Olympics.
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Ethiopian Sutume Asefa Kebede wins women’s race
The Tokyo marathon was Kipchoge’s first race since Kiptum’s death, and he seemed on track to reclaim the world record around the 15km mark. But then he slowed down dramatically, leaving Kiplagat, Kipruto and Ngetich in the lead pack. As difficulties continued to mount for Kipchoge, Kipruto overtook Kiplagat after about 30km of racing and raced towards the finish to set a new personal best.
“Something happened in the middle of the race”, declared Eliud Kipchoge to the Japanese channel Nippon TV, without specifying what it was exactly. He is “too early to tell” what form he will be in for the Olympics, continued the Kenyan. “I’m going to go home, relax and start training.”.
Ethiopian Sutume Asefa Kebede won the women’s race in 2:15:55, ahead of Kenya’s defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru (2:16:14) and Ethiopian world champion Amane Beriso Shankule (2:16). 58 s).
Read also | Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge manages to run the marathon in less than two hours
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2024-03-03 05:16:43
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