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26.04.2015 Africa

Kipchoge adds London title to marathon collection

By Julian Guyer
Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge wins the men's London Marathon on April 26, 2015.  By Sean Dempsey AFPKenya's Eliud Kipchoge wins the men's London Marathon on April 26, 2015. By Sean Dempsey (AFP)
26.04.2015 LISTEN

London (AFP) - Eliud Kipchoge led a Kenyan clean sweep of the podium places as he won the men's London Marathon on Sunday in a time of two hours, four minutes and 42 seconds.

The final mile saw former world 5,000 metres champion Kipchoge sprint clear of Wilson Kipsang, last year's London winner, with world record-holder Dennis Kimetto finishing in third place.

Victory saw Kipchoge add the London title to his wins in last year's Rotterdam and Chicago marathons and was his fourth victory in five runs at the distance.

"It was a tough race. My training paid off and it went to plan," said Kipchoge.

Some pundits had billed the men's event as a 'Clash of the Champions' between Kipsang and Kimetto, their first meeting over the marathon.

"I was really under-rated," said Kipchoge. "Everyone was like, 'Wilson and Kimetto, who will win'?"

Kipsang added: "I tried to keep a close watch on him, but he had more fuel than me."

The 30-year-old Kipchoge, who went up in distance after his world title success on the track in Paris in 2003, beat a field featuring the three-fastest marathon runners of all-time.

His winning time was outside Kipsang's London record of 2hrs 04 mins and 29 secs set last year.

Kipsang's time of 2:04:47 on Sunday made him the quickest-ever London runner-up, surpassing Stanley Biwott's 2:04:55 last year.

Kimetto came in third this year in a time of 2:05:50, with Biwott in fourth place.

- Tufa's surprise victory -

In the women's race, there was a shock win for Tigist Tufa as the Ethiopian, who in common with Kipchoge was making her London debut, ended fours years of Kenyan domination.

Tufa was only the ninth-fastest competitor in the elite women's field but pulled clear just over a mile from the finish.

The 28-year-old won by some 18 seconds from Kenya's Mary Keitany in a time of 2:23:22.

Keitany, the winner of the race in 2011 and 2012, just did enough to hold off Tufa's compatriot, Tirfi Tsegaye, in the battle for second place.

Tufa, the 2014 Shanghai Marathon champion, was the first Ethiopian to win the London women's race since Derartu Tulu in 2001, with a 25th mile completed in just 5mins 07 secs enabling her to make a decisive breakaway in overcast and cool conditions.

"I've always dreamed about winning the London Marathon and I can't say how happy I am that this has come true," said Tufa who beat a field featuring the Kenyan quartet of defending champion Edna Kiplagat, Keitany, half-marathon world record holder Florence Kiplagat and Priscah Jeptoo, the London winner in 2013.

Edna Kiplagat finished down the field in 11th place.

- Radcliffe bows out -

The race also marked British distance-running heroine Paula Radcliffe's farewell to the event.

No longer among the elite competitors, but running among the main field, the 41-year-old was bowing out on the same course where in 2003 she set a women's world record of 2:15:25 that still stands.

However, Radcliffe's career has been blighted by a series of injuries in recent years, with illness and fitness problems helping deny her an Olympic title.

Radcliffe crossed the line on Sunday in a time of 2:36:55.

"Down the last mile I thought, 'I don't care about the time'. I just wanted to thank as many people as I could," Radcliffe said after embracing husband Gary Lough and their two children, daughter Isla and son Raphael, at the finish.

"There was a big sign at Embankment saying 'we will miss you', but it won't be as much as I will miss you."

In the wheelchair races there was an American double, with Joshua George holding off Britain's six-times London champion David Weir in a sprint finish, while Tatyana McFadden surged away in the women's event to win the event for a third successive year.

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