Double gold for Kenya at the Paris Marathon

Photo | AFP Kenyan Benjamin Kiptoo crosses the finish line of the 35th Paris Marathon.

By CHRIS MUSUMBA
Posted  Monday, April 11 2011 at 22:00

In Summary

• Performance in France sets the stage for a series of top marathons with London and Boston lined up for Sunday and Monday

That Kenya is the world athletics giant became clearer after Benjamin Kolum Kiptoo and Priscah Jeptoo surged forward to win the Paris Marathon.

The two are the latest to triumph in a battle pitting Ethiopians against Kenya.

But for a country that has seen its athletes win 80 of the world’s top 100 marathons over the last three years, the victory in Paris City on Sunday at the fifth-largest 42km race in the world, the win was basically another reaffirmation that Kenya is the country to beat in long distance running.

The 35th Paris Marathon turned out to the advantage of Kenya with victories by Kiptoo in 2:06:31 edging out compatriot Bernard Kipyego 2:07:16 and Ethiopian Eshetu Wendimu 2:07:33.

The women race was won by Jeptoo clocking 2:22:52 for the gold with another Agnes Kiprop 2:24:43 taking second ahead of Koren Yal of Ethiopia 2:26:57.

Winners took home Sh6 million (Euro 50,000) with Sh3.6 million (Euro 30,000) going for second and Sh2.4 million (Euro 20,000) going to third.

The Paris Marathon has an unusual prize money structure. In order for athletes to receive the full prize money available for each of the top-10 finish places, men must break 2:11:45 and women must break 2:23:15.

Until recently, pace making has been used by many elite runners in their bid to break records, yet seldom has a pacemaker emerged to rule the world like Kiptoo, the Paris Marathon champion.

Starting as a pacemaker, Kiptoo born in 1979, has demonstrated that with focus and good preparations, each athlete has the capacity to conquer his fears and win the hardest event in athletics.

Born in Kapsabet, Kiptoo was introduced to athletics by a friend. He took him to Italian coach Claudio Berardelli and became part of a training group that has three times London Marathon champion Martin Lel. This explains why most of Kiptoo’s races have been in Italy.

Like many athletes, it took time before his star shone. He started as a pacemaker until 2006. However in Florence Marathon, Kiptoo went on to finish the race seventh with a time of 2:16:08.

Brescia Marathon

In 2007, he was fourth at the Brescia Marathon (Italy) and then improved his best to 2:12:24 to take second place at the Lausanne Marathon.

A return to the Brescia race in 2008 proved pivotal for his career as he topped the podium for the first time. Completing the race seven seconds outside the course record, he sliced over three minutes off his previous best to win the race in 2:09:23.

His strong form continued into 2009 as he took his third consecutive win over the distance at the Rome Marathon in March. His winning time of 2:07:17 was not just a significant personal best and course record — it was the fastest marathon time ever to be recorded in Italy.

He made his debut in Kenyan jersey at the Berlin World Athletics championships in the men’s marathon. However, he dropped out of the race before the 30 kilometres in a race won by Abel Kirui. Last year Kiptoo participated at the Paris Marathon but he was fourth in 2:08:01.

In the women circles, Jeptoo showed her zeal again. With victories last year in Torino 2:27:02 and Porto in 2009 of 2:30:40, Jeptoo, 27, has shown that she too is a force to reckon with.

Building a solid early career with two wins and one second place in the three marathons she contested, Jeptoo added another feather to her cup with a win in Paris in a time of 2:22:55.

“I’m very happy today in Paris, because I wasn’t expecting to win”, said Jeptoo. “It is now a new personal best and this fulfils all the good training.”

She indeed improved her previous best (2:27:01) by more than four minutes, and established the second fastest ever time in Paris, missing the course record of 2:22:04 set by Atsede Bayisa by just 51 seconds.

The performance in Paris sets the stage for a series of top marathons with London and Boston lined up for Sunday and Monday where elite athletes will be battling for the crucial World Marathon Majors.