Kenyan gives Eliud Kipchoge’s world record a fright as he shows tremendous closing speed to run 2:01:25 on Sunday
Kelvin Kiptum produced a masterclass of marathon running to win the TCS London Marathon in a blistering 2:01:25. It is the second fastest time in history behind Eliud Kipchoge’s world record of 2:01:09 and came after an unprecedentedly quick second half of 59:45.
The 23-year-old made his move 31km into the race as he surged through a drinks station to build an immediate lead. Fellow Kenyan and two-time New York City winner Geoffrey Kamworor gave chase and wound up runner-up but his 2:04:23 left him almost three minutes behind the runaway winner.
“I’m very happy to run the second fastest time in history,” he said afterwards. “My preparation was good, and I was very happy to race in London. The cheering gave me great motivation.”
Tamirat Tola, the world champion, was third in 2:04:59 with two fellow Ethiopians, Leul Gebrsilasie and Seifu Tura, fourth and fifth in 2:05:45 and 2:06:38 as the first Brit, Emile Cairess, was next home in a fine 2:08:07 on his debut.
Men’s leaders (LM Events)
Rarely has London seen such a dominant winner of the men’s race, as Kiptum scorched around the increasingly wet roads on a damp morning in the British capital. After having passed 10km in 29:12 and halfway in 61:40 – with seven rivals still in contact at that stage – he blitzed the 19th mile in 4:33 – the quickest of the race – followed by a 4:23 as the lead group splintered.
At this stage the course record of 2:02:37 looked set to fall but Kiptum kept getting quicker, covering the 5km section from 30-35km in 13:49. His 22nd mile of 4:21 and 24th mile of 4:23 were also notable and well inside the hallowed sub-two-hour pace.
Kelvin Kiptum (LM Events)
For those who saw Kiptum race in Valencia in December it will not have been an enormous surprise. On that occasion he ran the fastest ever marathon debut of 2:01:53 – a time that only Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele had ever beaten. The latter, incidentally, who is now 40, was in the mix on Sunday until halfway but dropped out after 25km.
“I thought I could run 2:03, even 2:02,” said Kiptum. “But I didn’t think I’d be close to the world record. Even in the last few miles, I wasn’t thinking about it. Maybe next year.”
In his final competitive marathon Mo Farah was 10th in 2:10:28. It made him the third Briton overall, behind Cairess and Phil Sesemann, who overtook Farah in the home straight for a two-minute PB of 2:10:23.
“I gave it my all but my body just wasn’t responding and that’s when you know when it’s time to call it a day,” Farah said, after confirming he will end his career at the Great North Run in September.
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