Mumbai, Jan 17 (IANS) Kenyan pacemaker Gideon Kipketer came up with a dominating show to race himself to victory and also set a new men’s course record in the country’s premier 42.195-km race, the Mumbai Marathon here on Sunday.
Kipketer was the dominating runner right from the start till the end as his pace took him way ahead of the others.
He took the lead in the midway and from there on extended it to finish at 2:08:35 hours. En route his victory, he thrashed 2013 record of 2:09:32 set by Ugandan Jackson Kiprop.
The world class runners alongside the Indian contestents raced up and down the Mumbai roads from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to Bandra via the Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link in the 13th edition of the Marathon.
With win, Kipketer earned price money of $41,000 along with the course record jackpot which is $15,000 to grab a whopping $56,000 amount from the race.
The second place was taken by Ethiopia’s Seboka Dibaba (2:09:20) while the third place went to Marius Kimutai of Kenya (2:09:39).
Kiprop, who is a specialist in marathons, finished eighth with a timing of 2:14:54.
With the cut-off mark to qualify for Marathon in Olympics is two hours 19 minutes for men; all four completed that at ease.
On the other hand, the women’s crown was clinched by Ethiopian Shuko Genemo with a timing of 2:27:50.
With win, Shuko earned price money of $41,000.
Her timing was well off the course record (2:24:33) was set in 2013 by Kenya’s Valentine Kipketer.
In the second place was Kenya’s Bornes Kitur (2:32:00), while Valentine, whose shoe lace got untied at the 29-km mark when she was vying for the winner, finished third with a time of 2:34:07.