Athletics

WITH SECOND FASTEST TIME IN HISTORY, KIPCHOGE WINS FOURTH LONDON MARATHON TITLE

Published

5 years ago

April 29, 2019

BY MICHAEL PAVITT

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge clocked a course record time to clinch a record fourth victory in the men’s race at the Virgin Money London Marathon as compatriot Brigid Kosgei claimed the women’s title.

World record holder Kipchoge was the clear favourite heading into the 39th edition of the annual race, which forms part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series.

It had been billed as a potential head-to-head between Kipchoge and Britain’s Sir Mo Farah, the Chicago Marathon winner.

Farah, a four-time Olympic champion on the track, had been embroiled in a public war of words with distance running great Haile Gebrselassie in the build-up, following a claim he had been burgled at a hotel owned by the Ethiopian.

Attention finally turned to the action out on the road but Farah ultimately slipped out of contention shortly after the half-marathon distance as Kipchoge increased the pace.

The Kenyan took the leading group through the 25 kilometre split at 14 seconds shy of the pace he set for his world record time of 2hr 1min 39 sec at the Berlin Marathon in September.

Kipchoge was slowly able to shake off the attentions of Tola Shura Kitata, before another Ethiopian Mule Wasihun began to slip out of contention.

The Olympic champion removed his final challenger Mosinet Geremew, another Ethiopian, with a turn of speed in the closing stages of the 26.2 mile event.

Kipchoge continued to pull clear and crossed the line in a time of 2:02.37, the second fastest time in history.

It fulfilled his coach Patrick Sang’s pre-race prediction that the Kenyan would break his own course record of 2:03.05, which he set back in 2016.

He is now the outright record winner of the men’s event at the London Marathon with four triumphs.

**Brigid Kosgei claimed a comfortable victory in the women’s race ©Getty Images**

Geremew completed an impressive performance by finishing 18 seconds shy of the winner, with his time of 2:02.55 the third fastest ever.

The podium was rounded off by Wasihun in 2:03.16, while Kitata ended fourth in 2:05.01.

Farah had targeted a top three finish in front of a home crowd but he eventually ended fifth in a time of 2:05.39, over three minutes down on Kipchoge’s time.

While the pace of the men’s race proved fierce, the women’s event was a more conservative affair in the early stages.

The women’s elite field had been billed as the deepest in history, with four reigning major marathon champions taking part.

There was a surprise when Chicago Marathon winner Mary Keitany of Kenya was dropped from the leading group, ruling out her chance of a record-equalling fourth win.

Attention quickly turned to a battle between Kenyans Kosgei and defending champion Vivian Cheruiyot.

Kosgei broke the resistance of her compatriot in the closing stages of the race, which saw her build a comfortable advantage as the finish approached.

She triumphed in a time of 2:18.20 and finished 1:54 clear of second placed Cheruiyot.

The top three was completed by Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje, who clocked 2:20.51.

She was just one second clear of Boston Marathon champion Gladys Cherono of Kenya, while Keitany was a further six seconds down in fifth.

INSIDE THE GAMES

Athletics

Record 6000 runners register for 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run

Published

2 days ago

September 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

A record 6,000 runners, local and international from across the African continent and Nigeria have registered for the second edition of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run slated for September 28, 2024, as the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited guns for a bronze label status for the race.

The Chief Operating Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Ebidowie Oweifie, noted that the theme of this year’s edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race titled ‘For Greatness’ out is out to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Egba paramount ruler, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, the 10km Run will flag off at Iyana Oloke at 6am and finish at The Alake Palace, Abeokuta.

Kenya’s Peter Nwaniki is the men’s race defending champion at a time of 28 minutes 14 seconds, while Shamila Kipsirir also of Kenya is the women’s defending champion.

Nigeria’s race men’s defending champion is Francis James at 31minutes 08seconds, while the women’s defending champion is Patience Daylop at 36 minutes 31 seconds.

The second edition of Abeokuta10km Race will be sponsored by Lotus Bank, FEBBS Premium Water, Fatgbems Petroleum Limited and Cash Token.

Athletics

Behold, CAS statement on Tobi Amusan

Published

3 months ago

June 29, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan is the winner as the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS has rejected the appeals filed by World Athletics and WADA.

The decision confirms the decision taken by the World Athletics disciplinary tribunal finding that Tobi Amusan did not commit any anti-doping rule violation.

Here is the full statement of CAS.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeals filed by

World Athletics (WA) and by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision issued on 17 August 2023 (the Challenged Decision) by the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal (WADT) in relation to the hurdler Oluwatobiloba (Tobi) Amusan (Nigeria).

Accordingly, the Challenged Decision in which the WADT considered that Tobi Amusan did not violate Rule 2.4 of the WA Anti-Doping Rules (WA ADR) and that no period of ineligibility should be imposed on the Athlete is confirmed.

The Athlete was initially charged with committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under Rule 2.4 WA ADR following three alleged Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period.

In their respective appeal to CAS, WA and WADA had sought the imposition of a two-year period of ineligibility. The CAS Panel held a hearing on 19 January 2024. Having deliberated, the CAS Panel has issued its decision today dismissing both appeals. The CAS Panel unanimously acknowledged that the Athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within a 12-month

period. Accordingly, the CAS Panel concluded that the Athlete did not commit an ADRV and that the Challenged Decision should be confirmed.

The reasoned award will be published by CAS unless the parties request confidentiality.

Athletics

Tobi Amusan floors WADA and World Athletics!

Published

3 months ago

June 29, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Nigeria’s Paris 2024 medal hopeful, Tobi Amusan has been cleared as the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the World Athletics.

She is therefore cleared to feature at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Amusan is the 100m hurdles world record holder.

The athlete was charged in July last year with missing three anti-doping tests in 12 months but was cleared of the offence by the Disciplinary Tribunal of the sport’s governing body, World Athletics.

The Integrity Unit of the World Athletics appealed the clearance which has now been dismissed by CAS, the final arbiter in the case.

CAS in its statement remarked that its panel “unanimously acknowledged that the athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test, alleged by WA and WADA, which would have been the third Whereabouts Failure committed within 12 months.”

Amusan set the world record of 12.12 seconds in the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July 2022 and went on to win the title.

She finished sixth in the world championships in Budapest last year.

World Athletics’ anti-doping rules say any athlete failing to declare their whereabouts for a doping test on three occasions over 12 months is ineligible to compete for two years.