article by Sam Farmer via latimes.com
Elisha Barno and Hellen Jepkurgat, both of Kenya, were the men’s and women’s winners Sunday of the Los Angeles Marathon. Barno, who pulled away from fellow Kenyan Daniel Limo in the final mile, crossed the finish line in Santa Monica in 2 hours, 11 minutes, 53 seconds.
Jepkurgat won the women’s race in 2:34:23, almost two minutes faster than Kenyan Jane Kibii at 2:36:14. More than 24,000 runners from 63 countries are participating in the “Stadium to the Sea” race, the fourth-largest marathon in the U.S. and 10th largest worldwide.
To read more, go to: L.A. Marathon live updates: Kenyans Elisha Barno and Hellen Jepkurgat win men’s and women’s races – LA Times
Posts tagged as “African marathon runners”
Kenya’s Dennis Kimetto has broken the marathon world record in Berlin, winning the race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 57 seconds.
The 30-year-old shook off fellow Kenyan Emmanuel Mutai with just under three miles remaining to become the first man to run a marathon in less than two hours and three minutes.
Mutai, who finished second in 2:03:13, also broke the previous record.
“I feel good because I won a very tough race,” said Kimetto.
“I felt good from the start and in the last few miles I felt I could do it and break the record.”
Men’s marathon world record decade-by-decade |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Time | Athlete | Course |
| 1947 | 2:25.39 | Suh Yun-bok (Korea) | Boston |
| 1958 | 2:15.17 | Sergei Popov (Soviet Union) | Stockholm |
| 1969 | 2:08.33 | Derek Clayton (Australia) | Antwerp |
| 1988 | 2:06.50 | Belayneh Dinsamo (Ethiopia) | Rotterdam |
| 1999 | 2:05.42 | Khalid Khannouchi (Morocco) | Chicago |
| 2008 | 2:03.59 | Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) | Berlin |
| 2014 | 2:02.57 | Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) | Berlin |
The previous world record had been set on the same course 12 months ago by Kimetto’s compatriot Wilson Kipsang, who ran 2:03:23.
Kimetto, who won marathons in Tokyo and Boston last year, had promised to attack the record in Berlin if conditions allowed.
And in weather perfect for long-distance running, with temperatures around eight degrees centigrade, Kimetto kept his promise, staying in the lead group throughout and sprinting to victory and a new world’s best time.
Mutai, meanwhile, believes a two-hour marathon is possible.
“From what I saw today, times are coming down and down. So if not today, then tomorrow,” the 29-year-old Kenyan said. “Maybe next time we’ll get 2:01.”
Mutai had run the fastest marathon in history in 2:03:02 in Boston in 2011, but it did not count as a world record because the course is considered too straight and downhill.
article via bbc.com