Kipruto made a move with five kilometres left and finished in two hours four minutes and 39 seconds to take his first marathon title after coming second to world record holder Eliud Kipchoge in Japan in March. Yehualaw, 23, who only ran her first competitive marathon in April in Germany, winning it with the fastest debut time in history and an Ethiopian record, was equally impressive after making light work of the field in London. Without home favourite Mo Farah, who withdrew with a hip injury, and Kipchoge absent after smashing his own marathon record in Berlin last week, the other big names fell away in the latter stages of the men's race. In the absence of world record holder and twice London Marathon champion Brigid Kosgei, who withdrew due to a hamstring injury, seven women had pulled clear by the halfway stage, led by Ethiopia's Ashete Bekere. Yehualaw established a commanding lead in the closing stages, crossing the line in two hours, 17 minutes and 25 seconds, ahead of Jepkosgei and Ethiopia's Alemu Megertu in third.

Source: Ethiopian News October 02, 2022 10:47 UTC