Kenya’s Edwin Kiprop Kiptoo lived to the race expectations as he made his debut memorable in Greece, when he smashed the nine year-old course record at the 40th edition of the Athens Classic Marathon held on Sunday (12) in Athens, Greece.
The 30 year-old who came to this race with a life time best of 2:06.52 that he got last year at the Haspa Marathon where he finished in seventh place, battled for the honors with his closest rival and compatriot Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo, Rwanda’s Felicien Muhitira and Henry Tukor Kichana from Kenya.
Kiptoo who this year in March participated at the Seoul Marathon, finishing in seventh place, took charge of the race at the 31km mark when he dropped Kilimo and Muhitita and never looked back as he surged ahead with his mind set on Felix Kipchirchir Kandie course record. Kiptoo erased his compatriots’ old record when he cut the tape in a new course record of 2:10.34 taking off three seconds.
Kiptoo was followed a distant later by the second fastest man on the entry list, Kilimo who crossed the finish line 2:12.36 with Muhitira wrapping up the podium three finishes with the same margin.
Kenya’s Henry Tukor Kichana, Martin Cheruiyot and Bernard Kipsang Chumba finished in fourth, fifth and sixth place in respective times of 2:14.23, 2:17.09 and 2:18.51.
The defending champion and the Greece National Record Holder, Charalambos Pitsolis who won last year’s edition in time of 2:23.44, had to relinquish the mantle when the elite athletes came back after a three years spell due to Covid-19 pandemic. He finished a distant seventh in 2:22.34 .
LEADING RESULTS
42KM MEN
- Edwin Kiprop Kiptoo (KEN) 2:10.34
- Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo (KEN) 2:12.36
- Felicien Muhutura (RWA) 2:12.36
- Henry Tukor Kichana (KEN) 2:14.23
- Martin Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:17.09
- Bernard Kipsang Chumba (KEN) 2:18.51
- Panagiotis Karaiskos (GRE) 2:22.34
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