News Digest

Kenya’s Kipchoge adds London title to marathon collection

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge got the better of compatriot and defending champion Wilson Kipsang in a fierce battle over the closing miles to win the London Marathon by five seconds on Sunday with world record holder Dennis Kimetto third. Labelled the ‘clash of the champions’ by organisers, Sunday’s race pitted eight sub-2:05 runners and five of the all-time top-10 in one of the fastest fields ever assembled. Kipchoge, a former world champion at 5,000 metres, and Kipsang broke clear in the closing stages after a blistering race but it was the former who finished with a decisive burst of speed to win in 2:04.42.

It was a tough race. My training paid off and it went to plan. The crowd were wonderful and lifted me for my sprint finish.

Eliud Kipchoge

Ethiopia’s Tigist Tufa upset the formbook to win the women’s race and end a four-year run of Kenyan success in the event. Tufa, 28, broke clear from the pack and even had time to wave to the crowd down the finishing straight as she won in an unofficial time of two hours, 23 minutes and 22 seconds. Mary 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. World record holder Paula Radcliffe, 41, completed her final competitive marathon in an unofficial time of 2:36:55.