Kipchoge’s Win Streak Comes To End

Shura Kitata won the London Marathon in 2:05:41 while the world record holder Kipchoge lost after seven years and ten marathons.

The elite-only race due to the pandemic is run on a 2.15km loop over 19.6 laps. The owners of the two fastest times in history, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya and Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, were set for a duel, however, Bekele had to withdraw two days before the race due to a calf injury.

Having run in the leading group until the 37th kilometer, Kipchoge was unable to respond the five-men breakaway with 5km to finish. Ethiopian Kitata was the first to reach the finish line in 2:05:41. Kenyan Vincent Kipchumba followed a single seconds later. Sisay Lemma from Ethiopia was third in 2:05:45.

This was the second defeat in Kipchoge’s career over his 13 marathon. His only other loss had been back in 2013 when Wilson Kipsang broke the world record. The Kenyan star is beaten again 2562 days after his first defeat, but he remains the only athlete who has a 10-marathon streak. Two other legendary male marathoners, Ethiopians Abebe Bikila and Haile Gebrselassie, topped out at six in a row.

On the women’s side, Kenyan Brigid Kosgei was victorious with 2:18:58. Sara Hall from USA edged the reigning world champion Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya by four seconds, the two finishing in 2:22:01 and 2:22:05 respectively.