London queen Jeptoo back home

Priscah Jeptoo returned home Tuesday after her exploits at the London Marathon to a rapturous reception.

Jeptoo beat a strong field that included London Olympics champion Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia to win in two hours, 20 minutes and 15 seconds on Sunday.

With Gelana out of the way after colliding with a wheelchair racer, Jeptoo - who won 2012 Olympics silver - pulled clear to win ahead of compatriot Edna Kiplagat.

It was a disappointing outing for Kenyan men as Ethiopian Tsegaye Kebede overhauled 2011 champion Emmanuel Mutai in the closing stages for his second win in 2:06:04.

The other athletes who returned home yesterday are those who took part in the Hamburg Marathon, including gold medallist Eliud Kipchoge and bronze winner Lawrence Kimaiyo. The duo was received at the Eldoret Airport by family and friends.

Very competitive race

Kipchoge, who hails from Kapsisiywa Village in Nandi County, also the home of two-time world 3, 000m silver medallist, Patrick Sang, beat over 15, 000 athletes to win on Sunday in a time of 2.05.30.

Kipchoge recorded a new course record in Hamburg, having smashed the previous one by a 28 seconds on his debut marathon.

Alongside Kimaiyo and one of London Marathon pacemakers, Mike Kigen, who finished eighth in Dubai Marathon in his marathon debut early this year, Kipchoge landed in Eldoret at 7.30am.

The 28-year-old Kipchoge, who trains with Kimaiyo at Kaptagat camp in Keiyo South, said his marathon debut was the most competitive of all races he has ever taken part in so far.

“It was tough but I had prepared well. I am happy to have set a new course record,” said Kipchoge, who won 5,000m silver medallist during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He urged local male runners not to be discouraged after losing out in London.

“In athletics, there are times you are in great form but there are others when you have to accept defeat. This does not mean that you cannot perform well in future races,” Kipchoge said.

With around 1km remaining, Kebede, who was controversially omitted from the Ethiopia team for the 2012 Olympics, breezed past unchallenged to repeat his London success of 2010.

Ethiopian Ayele Abshero finished third, with Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda sixth. Kipchoge is also eyeing a slot in the Kenyan national team to the IAFF World Athletics Championship in Moscow, Russia in August.