Stephen Kiprotich was 23 years old at the time of the London Games and it was the first time he had competed in the quadrennial event. He was able to qualify for the Games because his fastest time, set at the 2011 Tokyo Marathon, of 2 hours, 7 minutes, 20 seconds, was faster than the required "A" standard qualifying entry time for the men's marathon. In preparation for the marathon Kiprotich spent time training in Kenya's Rift Valley Province alongside long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge. In the event Kenya's Wilson Kipsang was the early leader but it was reduced when he missed a drinks stop. Kiprotich gained on Kipsang and also joined Abel Kirui in a group of three runners until his Kenyan rivals established a small gap. He had held his leg as the gap between himself and the first two runners grew. Kiportich gained the lead after using a large amount of energy leaving a turn on the course and built a lead which he held to win the marathon. He finished with a time of 2 hours, 8 minutes, 1 second. and his victory was considered by the media and many people as "surprising" as he had not been expected to win. It was the second time Uganda had won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics, the first since John Akii-Bua won the 400 metres hurdles at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and the seventh in the nation's history.