RIO DE JANEIRO – Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya smiled as he crossed the finish line and later directed cheering fans from the podium.
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Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa won the silver in 2:09.54 while Galen Rupp from the United States – the training partner of GB’s double gold medallist Mo Farah -secured the bronze in 2:10.05.
Galen Rupp, silver medallist in 10,000m in London, had also taken part in the 10,000m race in Rio earlier in the week, where he placed fifth: “I was emotionally drained after the 10K, but I got it out of the system and made a decision to have an attacking race”.
The former University of OR runner is competing in his third Olympics, having won silver in the 10,000m at the 2012 London Games and placing 13th at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Meb Keflezighi of the US did some push-ups at the finish line after slipping, having a little fun to celebrate his final Olympic marathon.
On a wet and humid morning, Kenya’s two-time London Marathon victor pulled away over the last 10km to run 2:08:44 and beat Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa and USA’s Galen Rupp.
‘He beats the hell out of us in training, ‘ Rupp said.
Alphonce Felix Simbu made history for his country Tanzania by being the highest finisher in an Olympic marathon when he finished 5th in the race.
Eluid Kipchoge takes The National Sport front page on Monday, August 22, 2016 after blitzing the field to win marathon gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Ethiopian Almaz Ayana set a world record in the women’s 10,000 meters by more than 14 seconds and followed that up with a bronze in the 5,000. “I don’t think I really, truly understood that until I started doing it in L.A., but it’s something special”.
Maybe this medal will go in a laundry room closet in his home, where Rupp says he keeps the silver one he picked up in London.
The United States rallied from a two-set deficit against Russian Federation in volleyball on Sunday to win the Olympic bronze medal with a 3-2 victory.
Jared Ward will run the marathon for the U.S.in Rio.
In the end, it should be all joy, after all the great Eliud Kipchoge gave a glorious finish to Kenya’s medal hunt by winning the men’s marathon. “Now Kipchoge is the greatest marathoner in the world, and maybe the greatest ever”. “I don’t want to say I am the greatest”, said the former Olympic 5000 silver and bronze medal victor, who stepped up to his first Olympic marathon in Rio. He left Lilesa more than a minute back, and though Rupp was constantly in touch with Lilesa – running constantly about 10 seconds behind – he couldn’t catch him.
“I was hoping for a top twenty position, I didn’t get that, but I’m coming away from this hopefully healthy, hopefully fit and hopefully able to target a faster marathon now and use this as a stepping stone for future things”. Rupp sat in 11th at the midway point of the marathon, eighth after 25 kilometers and fifth after 30 kilometers before making his way into the top three.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, meeting Japanese athletes in Rio on Sunday, said Tokyo now wanted to put on the best Olympics yet. “I thought I would run a little better”.
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“I think the rain was a good advantage because the temperature in Brazil is bad”, said Kipchoge, who was serenaded by local fans chanting “Kenya!”
