Evans Ruto led a clean sweep by Kenya in the men’s race but missed narrowly in creating a new course record, while pre-race favourite Dinknesh Mekash clinched the women’s crown with ease in the 11th Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.
Ruto clocked 2 hours, 9 minutes and 33 seconds to miss the course record, set last year by his countryman Jackson Kiprop, by a mere second as well as the bonus fee of $15,000. He had to be satisfied with the winner’s prize money of $41,000 out of the total fund of $3,60,000.
The 30-year-old winner was followed in second position by his Kenyan compatriot Lawrence Kimaiyo, who finished 12 seconds adrift of the winner, while the third spot was grabbed by another Kenyan runner Philemon Baaru, in 2:09:58.
The men’s field included reigning Commonwealth Games champion John Kelei, a two-time winner who is also of Kenya who finished outside the top-ten, as well as another former champion Kenneth Mungara (Kenya), who finished 10th in 2:14:13 and got $1,000.
There were eight Kenyan runners in the top ten, the remaining spots going to another East African nation Ethiopia.
And it was the eighth time in 11 years that a Kenyan stamped his superiority on the 42.195-km race.
The No. 2 and 3 finishers received $21,000 and $15,000 respectively.
The women’s race was comfortably clinched by last year’s runner-up Mekash in 2:28:08, also off the course record of 2:24:33, set by Kenya’s Valentine Kipketer last year. Mekash bagged the top prize of $41,000.
Read more at The Hindu Business Line
