LONDON — Eliud Kipchoge swept to a third London Marathon victory and Vivian Cheruiyot won the event for the first time as Kenyans triumphed in sweltering conditions on Sunday.

The 33-year-old Kipchoge ran the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometre) course in 2 hours, 4 minutes, 27 seconds to add to his wins in the British capital in 2015 and 2016.

Shura Kitata Tola of Ethiopia was second, followed by Mo Farah in front of his home fans.

While the race began in the southeast London district of Blackheath, the official starter for the men's race was more than 30 miles (48 kilometre) to the west of the British capital. Queen Elizabeth II pushed the start button in front of Windsor Castle. </s> Kipchoge won marathon gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio

Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge smashed the marathon world record by clocking a time of two hours one minute 39 seconds in Berlin.

The 33-year-old took nearly one minute 20 seconds off the previous best, which was set by compatriot Dennis Kimetto when he ran 2:02:57 in Berlin in 2014.

"I lack words to describe this day," said Kipchoge. "I am really grateful, happy to smash the world record."

The women's race was won by Gladys Cherono of Kenya in 2:18:11.

Kipchoge won the London Marathon for a third time earlier this year and is the Olympic champion over the distance.

"It was hard," he said. "I ran my own race, I trusted my trainers, my programme and my coach. That's what pushed me in the last kilometres."

In 2017, Kipchoge missed out on becoming the first athlete to run under two hours for the marathon by 26 seconds.

The Kenyan clocked 2:00:25 but because pacemakers who could swap in and out of the run were used, the time was not recognised as a world record.

Two records in one day

France's Kevin Mayer celebrates setting a new Olympic decathlon record

The men's marathon record was not the only athletics record to fall on Sunday as France's Kevin Mayer set a new benchmark in the decathlon.

His world record of 9,126 points at the Decastar event in Talence, France, surpassed American Ashton Eaton's 9,045 total set at the 2015 World Championships.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time," said Mayer, 26, the world champion and an Olympic silver medallist in the discipline.

Mayer led from the outset and recorded the following results over the two-day competition: </s> Kenyan runners have dominated this year's London Marathon, with Eliud Kipchoge winning his third title, while Vivian Cheruiyot won the women's race.

Kipchoge finished in two hours, six minutes and 27 seconds in front of Ethiopia's Tola Shura Kitata (2:05:00) and the UK's Mo Farah (2:06:32).

Cheruiyot won in two hours, 18 minutes and 31 seconds, a personal best time.

She came ahead of her compatriot, Brigid Kosgei (2:20:13), and Ethiopia's Tadelech Bekele (2:21:40).

Kipchoge - regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time - was on course for a new world record, but slowed in the final stages of a gruelling race in record warm temperatures.

This year's marathon has been declared the hottest on record.
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Olympic 5,000m champion Cheruiyot ran her first marathon in London last year and finished fourth overall.

Last year's winner, Mary Keitany, also from Kenya, and Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba had been looking to break the "mixed gender" race world record, but both faded during the race.

Keitany had been on course to break the record, but eventually finished fifth (2:24: 27), having lost the lead she had held from the start with around five miles remaining. </s> NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 3 –Kenya’s veteran marathon runner Emmanuel Mutai believes he is ready to run at the top level as he heads to Germany to compete at the Hamburg Marathon scheduled for April 29.

The organizers have confirmed that a strong elite field is prepared for the Hamburg Marathon and believes the course record will be up for grabs.

Olympic Champion Eliud Kipchoge holds the Hamburg Marathon course record at 2:05:30, set in 2013.

“I have run a faster time before in marathon and I will be hoping to gain similar success in Hamburg. I know there will be a lot of athletes eyeing the title, but I have the ability to challenge anyone for the gold,” Mutai said.

Mutai will be the fastest runner in the field having clocked in at 2:03:13. However, he faces a spirited challenge from former Olympic winner Stephen Kiprotich from Uganda.

There will also be Sammy Kitwara with more Kenyans, (Vincent Kipruto and Stephen Chebogut) lined up eyeing a share of the pie.

The Ethiopian group leader is Ayele Abshero with 2:04:23 best, Solomon Deksisa and 2014 winner Shumi Dechasa with 2:06:43.

In the women’s field, there are six runners with sub 2:30 bests. On top of the list is Sweden’s Isabellah Andersson with 2:23:41, a national record, and she plans to qualify for Berlin Marathon with posting fast time in Hamburg.

But she will be up for a strong contest from Kenya’s track star Sylvia Kibet, who has a strong and fast time in marathon of 2:26:16.

Shitaye Eshete from Bahrain has 2:25:36, and Namibia’s Beata Naigambo boasts 2:26:57. Rounding out the field, from Portugal, Filomena Costa comes in at 2:28:00. </s> Kenyan Erick Kiptanui ran the fifth fastest half marathon of all time when he won in Berlin, Germany on Sunday.

Running in sunny but windy conditions, Kiptanui clocked 58 minutes, 42 seconds, missing the world record by just 19 seconds set by Eritrean Zersenay Tadese in Lisbon eight years ago.

Kenyans dominated the event and took the first seven places. Emmanuel Kiprono and Richard Mengich finished second and third in 60:29 and 60:36 respectively.

Ethiopia’s Melat Kejeta won the women’s race in 69:04. Switzerland’s Martina Strähl was second with 69:29, with Anne-Mari Hyrylainen of Finland third in 71:04.

A total of 36,001 athletes entered the 38th edition of the Berlin Half Marathon. </s> LONDON (AP) — The hottest-ever London Marathon featured a Kenyan double as Eliud Kipchoge swept to a third victory in front of Buckingham Palace joining Vivian Cheruiyot who won the women's race on Sunday.

The 33-year-old Kipchoge ran the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) course in 2 hours, 4 minutes, 27 seconds to add to the Olympic champion's wins in the British capital in 2015 and 2016.

"I ran a really beautiful race," he said.

Tola Shura Kitata of Ethiopia was second, followed by Mo Farah, who set a British record 2:06:21 in front of his home fans who lined the streets in temperatures that reached 73.8 degrees (23.2 Celsius) near the finish.

While the race began in the southeast London district of Blackheath, the official starter for the men's race was more than 30 miles (48 kilometer) to the west of the British capital. Queen Elizabeth II pushed the start button in front of Windsor Castle.

The race ended in front of the monarch's London residence — Buckingham Palace.

Cheruiyot, the Olympic 5,000-meter champion, crossed the line in 2:18:31 seconds to win at her second attempt. Fellow Kenyan, Brigid Kosgei, was 1 minute, 42 seconds further back and Tadelech Bekele of Ethiopia was third.

There was a home success with David Weir winning the men's wheelchair race for an eighth time after a sprint finish.

The 38-year-old Weir clocked 1:31:15 to beat Marcel Hug of Switzerland into second place, while Daniel Romanchuk of the United States was third.

Madison de Rozario of Australia won the women's wheelchair race for the first time ahead of four-time champion Tatyana McFadden, whose fellow American, Susannah Scaroni, was third. </s> Kenyan runner Vivian Cheruiyot on Sunday surprised the favorites and won her first London Marathon women's race, while fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge claimed his third win in London in the men's elite race.

Sir Mo Farah of the United Kingdom came third, breaking the men's British marathon record with a time of two hours, six minutes and 32 seconds.

Cheruiyot, 34, who finished fourth in the London Marathon last year, had a winning time of 2 hours, 18 minutes and 31 seconds, just three minutes off the absolute world record held by Britain's Paula Radcliffe in 2003, also set in London.

The Olympic 5,000-meter champion was joined on the podium by her compatriot Brigid Kosgei in second and Ethiopia's Tadelech Bekele in third.

Three-time winner and defending champion Mary Keitany of Kenya led the race up until the last eight kilometers, but came fifth.

In the men's race, Olympic marathon champion Kipchoge dominated from start to finish, taking his third victory in the last four years in London.

Tola Shura Kitata of Ethiopia came second, followed by Farah. </s> (LONDON) — The hottest-ever London Marathon featured a Kenyan double as Eliud Kipchoge swept to a third victory in front of Buckingham Palace joining Vivian Cheruiyot who won the women’s race on Sunday.

The 33-year-old Kipchoge ran the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) course in 2 hours, 4 minutes, 27 seconds to add to the Olympic champion’s wins in the British capital in 2015 and 2016.

“I ran a really beautiful race,” he said.

Tola Shura Kitata of Ethiopia was second, followed by Mo Farah, who set a British record 2:06:21 in front of his home fans who lined the streets in temperatures that reached 73.8 degrees (23.2 Celsius) near the finish.

While the race began in the southeast London district of Blackheath, the official starter for the men’s race was more than 30 miles (48 kilometer) to the west of the British capital. Queen Elizabeth II pushed the start button in front of Windsor Castle.

The race ended in front of the monarch’s London residence — Buckingham Palace.

Cheruiyot, the Olympic 5,000-meter champion, crossed the line in 2:18:31 seconds to win at her second attempt. Fellow Kenyan, Brigid Kosgei, was 1 minute, 42 seconds further back and Tadelech Bekele of Ethiopia was third.

There was a home success with David Weir winning the men’s wheelchair race for an eighth time after a sprint finish.

The 38-year-old Weir clocked 1:31:15 to beat Marcel Hug of Switzerland into second place, while Daniel Romanchuk of the United States was third.

Madison de Rozario of Australia won the women’s wheelchair race for the first time ahead of four-time champion Tatyana McFadden, whose fellow American, Susannah Scaroni, was third. </s> Several London Marathon runners wilted in the heat as the hottest race on record took its toll on competitors.

The mercury reached 23.2 Celsius meaning it was officially the warmest London Marathon in its 38-year history.

One runner was literally wheeled over the finish line on a stretcher while others sought medical attention at different stages of the 26-mile course.

Even elite athlete Mo Farah was visibly exhausted after he completed the course in a British record time, slumping to the concrete following his third-placed finish.

Farah, who won gold in the 5,000 metres and 10,000m in the past two Olympic Games, admitted his second full marathon had taken its toll in a race where there was a world record pace at the halfway point.

He told the BBC: "I am knackered. The guys went for it, they were on for world record pace, so it was do or die. I went with it and hung in as much as I could.

"It's so different to the track. It's incredible. It's different pain, different training but I've really enjoyed it. I gave it all, 110 per cent as I normally do.

"I've got a long way to go in the marathon. You get heavy legs. Mentally you've just got to be strong, take your drink and just pace yourself."

Eliud Kipchoge won the men's race, while Vivian Cheruiyot timed her run to perfection to win the women's event.

Cheruiyot, 34, took advantage of failed attempts by last year's winner Mary Keitany and runner-up Tirunesh Dibaba to break Paula Radcliffe's 15-year-old world record.

In stifling heat first Dibaba, of Ethiopia, and then Cheruiyot's fellow Kenyan Keitany dropped off the pace allowing the 2016 Olympic 5000m gold medalist to claim victory.

Elsewhere, Britain's David Weir won the men's wheelchair race for the eighth time after a thrilling sprint finish.

The 38-year-old pipped Switzerland's Marcel Hug into second place, with Daniel Romanchuk of the USA third.

The leaders were well inside the course record time of one hour 28 minutes and 57 seconds during the first half of the race, in what were fine conditions for wheelchair racing.
Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya sets a new world record for the fastest marathon time, at 2:01:39.