Kenya’s Munyao gets better of Bekele to win London Marathon

Kenya’s Munyao gets better of Bekele to win London Marathon

The race was preceded by 30 seconds of applause for last year's winner Kelvin Kiptum, who died in February.

Alexander Mutiso Munyao of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the men’s race at the London Marathon. (AP pic)
LONDON:
Alexander Mutiso Munyao beat three-time Olympic track champion Kenenisa Bekele to win the London marathon today.

The 27-year-old Kenyan came home in a time of two hours four minutes one second with Britain’s Emile Cairess in third.

The race was preceded by 30 seconds of applause for last year’s winner Kelvin Kiptum, who was killed in a car accident in February.

Munyao ensured a poignant day ended with another Kenyan victory but only after being pushed by the 41-year-old Bekele.

The Ethiopian, who has won Olympic gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m came close to winning on the streets of the British capital for the first time.

Bekele and Munyao pulled clear of a group including world champion Tamirat Tola but the younger man had the legs in the final few kilometres to win by 14 seconds.

Behind them it was a great day for the British duo of Cairess and Mahamed Mahamed as they finished third and fourth respectively to close in on a place at the Paris Olympics later this year.

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