Kiplagat romps back after Worlds disappointment

Two time World marathon champion Edna Kiplagat put behind her Beijing World Championships disappointment to successfully defend her Great Scottish Run in Glasgow on Sunday.

Kiplagat, who failed in her bid for a hat trick when she finished fifth in marathon during the World Championships on August 30 in Beijing, clocked 1:08:21 to triumph.

Kenya’s 2013 World Cross Country champion Japheth Korir settled third in the men’s race in 1:03.14 in a race won by Uganda’s Moses Kipsiro in personal best 1:02:18 as local Callum Hawkins came second in 1:02:42.

Kiplagat, the winner of the 2011 and 2013 World marathon, raised the stakes with a surge to the front after 10 kilometres, leaving her compatriot Doris Changeywo behind in a chasing group of three.

However, nothing troubled the 36-year-old over the second half of the race and she finished 1:29 ahead of her fellow Kenyan, albeit 24 seconds slower than her win 12 months ago.

Changeywo was second in 1:09:50 with Gemma Steel, last year’s European cross country champion, the leading Briton in third, six seconds in arrears but just holding off the 2014 European 10,000m gold medallist Jo Pavey, who was fourth in 1:09:58.

Kiplagat, who still has two shorter road races before ending her season, intends to shift her focus on qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Kiplagat finished 12th in the 2012 London Olympic marathon with a time of 2:27:52.

“She is focused on winning the elusive medal in Rio next summer but it will all depend if she is selected,” said Kiplagat’s coach, Gilbert Koech. “We hope the team for Rio will be named early so as to allow early and adequate preparations.”

Kipsiro, who took 10,000m gold medal when the Commonwealth Games came to the city last year, headed a leading pack of four that emerged in the early stages of the half marathon.

The two-time IAAF World Cross Country Championships medallist had only competed over a half marathon once before but timed his race well and a turn of acceleration over the final six kilometres to see cross the line in a personal best of 1:02:18.

For much of the race, he was tracked by local favourite Callum Hawkins and Kenya’s 2013 IAAF world cross country champion Japhet Korir, who dropped Eritrea’s Tesgai Tewelde just after the halfway point.

However, once Kipsiro made his break, Hawkins, who is currently gearing up for his marathon debut in Frankfurt on October 25, had to settle for a duel for second place with Korir.

Hawkins set personal best of 1:02:42, which augurs well for his marathon outing in the German city in three weeks’ time, with Korir 32 seconds behind.