Ethiopia's Kitata, Kenya's Kosgei win London Marathon

Oct 04, 2020

The London Marathon took place around St James's Park in central London - without spectators.

LONDON MARATHON 2020

Edited by Joseph Kizza
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The London Marathon took place around St James's Park in central London, with the women's race the first on the cards. This year's marathon has been an elite-athlete only event run in a "secure biosphere" due to coronavirus restrictions.


Kenya's Brigid Kosgei retained her London Marathon title while Ethiopian Shura Kitata Tola won the men's title.

(Scroll down the page for earlier picture updates)


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3:00 pm

Congratulations Ethiopian Shura Kitata and Kenyan Brigid Kosgei for winning this year's men's and women's London Marathon races respectively.

And of course you will be smiling all the way to the bank!




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2:42 pm

The men's podium finishers, from left: Ethiopia's Sisay Lemma (third), winner Ethiopia's Shura Kitata (C) and runner-up Kenya's Vincent Kipchumba.




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2:35 pm

It is very rare that Eliud Kipchoge is defeated, but on Sunday, a set of equally world-class runners have beaten him.


By AFP:

Kitata wins London Marathon as Kipchoge cracks

It proved 13th time unlucky as world record holder Eliud Kipchoge fluffed his lines at Sunday's London marathon, won in a thrilling sprint finish by Ethiopian Shura Kitata.

The coronavirus-hit marathon, limited to elite runners and with no crowds, was the first Kipchoge hasn't won since finishing second in Berlin in 2013 -- he had won all 11 others he raced in, including the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Dropped at the 38km mark of the 42.2km race, Kipchoge could only watch from a distance as Kitata outpaced Kenyan Vincent Kipchumba in the final strait to win in 2hr 05min 41sec. Ethiopian Sisay Lemma took third.

Originally due to be run in April, the London Marathon was rescheduled to October because of the coronavirus pandemic that has seen many top track and field events either cancelled or postponed, most notably the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Rather than the usual mazy run through the streets of the British capital, the course was made up of 19 1.5-mile loops around St James Park, with the iconic Buckingham Palace framing the finish line.

The men's race had been touted as a showdown between Kenyan legend Kipchoge and Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, arguably the best track athlete in the world.

But Bekele pulled out Friday with a calf injury, taking the gloss of what would have been a battle for the ages.

Instead, Kipchoge seemed to have missed the hot pace he is used to, meaning a lead pack of eight runners unusually remained in the running late into the race, held in cold, rainy conditions.

Having to negotiate the curves of the looped course, the pace fell well below the personal bests of the leading peloton. Fireworks were promised at the end, and so it proved.

The podium finishers came into the final kilometre three abreast.

Lemma was dropped as Kipchumba surged, but Kitata somehow found a last drop of energy to reel the Kenyan in and keep his nose in front to win by a second in a dramatic finish.

"Kenenisa Bekele was helping me for this race and he advised me how to run. I trained for the same course, I am very happy to win the race," Kitata told BBC.

There was some joy for Kenya, however, as Brigid Kosgei retained the women's London Marathon title, producing a brilliant solo run to claim a fourth career win in the event.

Kosgei clocked 2hr 18min 58sec, crossing the line ahead of American Sara Hall, who timed a personal best of 2:22.01.

Kenya's world champion Ruth Chepngetich rounded out the podium, just 4sec adrift of Hall.

Kosgei, the women's world record holder in the marathon and also twice a winner of the Chicago Marathon, cut loose from Chepngetich on the 18-mile mark and kept her rhythm as she lapped many backmarkers en route to the finish line.

"The weather is not good. So we struggled," Kosgei, said of the rainy, cold conditions.

"It's wonderful to race," she told BBC. "We have not prepared well due to the pandemic. I struggled up to the moment I finished.

"I will be well prepared for good results next year."



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2:23 pm

Ethiopian Shura Kitata Tola has won the men's marathon.





World record holder and Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge's reign as London Marathon champion has ended. He was aiming for a fifth title, but he has come up short.




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1:50 pm

This is how Eliud Kipchoge refuels . . .



. . . but it is still a crowded pack at the front.

Who will make a break for it?




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1:30 pm

Meanwhile, the women's podium finishers have been presented with their trophies in front of Buckingham Palace.

From left of the picture, runner-up American Sara Hall, winner Kenyan Brigid Kosgei and third place Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich.




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1:13 pm

The leading men's group run down The Mall.



Wearing a Nike topi, Eliud Kipchoge is looking, as ever, comfortable.



Steady pace.



Ireland's Michael Clohisey runs past the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace.



Pacemaker Mo Farah (R) runs past a cut-out of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.




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12:37 pm

All the men running today have big CVs.

But one of them stands out above the rest: Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge - and so far, he is looking comfortable in the leading pack.

Another world-class athlete who is being greatly missed today is Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, who withdrew from the race in the buildup due to a calf injury.



Britain's Mo Farah is on pacemaking duties today.




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12:15 pm

AND OFF THEY GO!

The elite men are off, with world record holder Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya just tucked behind the pace makers - of course. He is aimed for a fifth marathon title.





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11:52 am



By AFP:


Kenya's Brigid Kosgei retained the women's London Marathon title on Sunday, producing a brilliant solo run to claim a fourth career win in the 42.2km race.

Kosgei clocked 2hr 18min 58sec, crossing the line ahead of American Sarah Hall, who timed a personal best of 2:22.01.

Kenya's world champion Ruth Chepngetich rounded out the podium, just 4sec adrift of Hall.

American Sarah Hall overtook Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich late on to take second place


Originally due to be run in April, the London Marathon was rescheduled to October because of the coronavirus pandemic that has seen many top track and field events either cancelled or postponed, most notably the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Rather than the usual mazy run around the streets of the British capital, the course this time around featured 19 1.5-mile loops around St James Park, with the iconic Buckingham Palace framing the finish line.

Kosgei, the women's world record holder in the marathon and also twice a winner of the Chicago Marathon, cut loose from Chepngetich on the 18-mile mark and kept her rhythm as she lapped many backmarkers en route to the finish line.

"The weather is not good. So we struggled," Kosgei said of rainy, cold conditions.

"It's wonderful to race," she told BBC. "We have not prepared well due to the pandemic. I struggled up to the moment I finished.

"I will be well prepared for good results next year."



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11:32 am

Current world record holder Brigid Kosgei, aged 26, has won it!  By doing so, she has defended her London Marathon title.



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11:22 am

Current world record holder Brigid Kosgei in course to winning this one.




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11:12 am

All eyes on the two leaders: Kenyan Chepngetich (R) and compatriot Kosgei.



Here is how you pick your drink from the drinks spot.



Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich (L) - reigning world champion - and Kenya's Brigid Kosgei  (R) - current world record holder - are ahead of the pack.



Britain's Lily Partridge runs in the rain early in the women's race.



Britain's Steph Twell eventually dropped off after appearing to struggle.



Runners come down The Mall.




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10:30 am

Runners pass cut-outs of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and historical runners.



A course official sweeps water from the road surface during the women's race.



Portugal's Carla Salome Rocha runs past the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace in the rain




It has been a wet start to the race - but the focus on the women's faces is evident.



Elite women's pacemakers and leaders on the Mall at the end of the first lap.



Elite women runners warm up in the rain ahead of the race.



Ben Craddock, Senior Operations Manager at London Marathon Events, and operational staff working in bad weather to complete the final preparations to the course on Saturday.



The London Marathon is taking place around St James's Park in central London.




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