Mark Kiptoo leads sweep at Frankfurt marathon
Mark Kiptoo (right) on the podium after the men's 5,000m during the XIX Commonwealth Games on October, 6 2010 in New Delhi. With him are Uganda's Moses Kipsiro (centre), Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge (left). Kiptoo has warned his rivals to brace for a bruising battle during the Kenya Defence Forces Cross Country Championships on Friday at the Kahawa Garrison. FILE PHOTO | MANAN VATSYAYANA
What you need to know:
- Mike Kigen was a close second in 2:06:59 with Gilbert Yegon third in 2:07:08.
- Kenya's women lost the Frankfurt Marathon title they won last year through Caroline Kilel.
After losing last year's Frankfurt Marathon by one second, Kenya’s Mark Kiptoo got his act together to win his maiden marathon title on Sunday.
Kiptoo, who lost to Vincent Kipruto last year after clocking 2:06:16, was home and dry this time around finishing in 2:06:49 as Kenya won its 13th consecutive title.
Mike Kigen was a close second in 2:06:59 with Gilbert Yegon third in 2:07:08
Last year’s Frankfurt Marathon was Kiptoo’s first race over the distance, having represented Kenya in both the 5,000m and 10,000m.
He won the 5,000m bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and was selected for the 2012 African Championships in Athletics where he won the 5,000m gold and the 10,000m silver medals.
However, Kenya's women lost the Frankfurt Marathon title they won last year through Caroline Kilel when the 2011 World Championships in Athletics bronze medallist Sharon Cherop clocked 2:22:44 to finish second.
Ethiopia's Aberu Kebede won the race in 2:22:22. She went into the race in good form, having finished fifth in the London Marathon in 2:23:21 in April before winning the Philadelphia Half-Marathon in 68:40 the previous weekend.
Cherop’s most distinguished performances include her successful title defense of the Boston Marathon in 2012 before finishing second behind Florence Kiplagat at the Berlin Marathon last year.
That supplemented her bronze medal exploits at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu in 2011.
Cherop finished eighth in Boston in 2:23:00 in April in a race won by Rita Jeptoo in a course record 2:18:57.
