Kenya’s Elijah Kemboi took top honors at the 18th edition of the Sydney Marathon that was held under the cool and windy weather conditions in Sydney, Italy.
The 34 year-old has run 2:11:15 or faster each year from 2011 to 2017 and was second in Linz this year in 2:11:30. He has run three subs -2:08 marathons, with a best of 2:07:34, among his seven subs -2:10 performances.
The tune of the race changed at the 35km mark when he faced off with Uganda’s Thomas Ayeko who also according to the paper was race favorite. Ayeko held onto Kemboi till the 40k mark when he was left behind with fast acceleration from the Kenyan lad.
The two were chasing to lower the course record of 2:11.18 that was set in 2014 by Ethiopia’s Gebo Gameda.
When Kemboi reached at the 40k the course time was way beyond him and he held on to cut the tape in 2:13.37 with Ayeko crossing the line two minutes and fourteen seconds later.
“It was good to be together. We were assisting and pushing each other for the whole race and 2km from the finish I decided to go,” said Kemboi.
“It’s a hard but beautiful course. It was also hard today due to the wind and it was cold. “This is my first time in Australia and I would like to come back to race again.”
Ethiopia’s Birhanu Addisie closed the podium three finishes in 2:16.25.
LEADING RESULTS
MEN
- Elijah Kemboi (KEN) 2:13.37
- Thomas Ayeko (UG) 2:15.52
- Gebo Gameda (ETH) 2:16.25
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