The Kenyan broke away from his rivals at the 35km mark and romped home to win in a time of two hours, eight minutes, 44 seconds, more than a minute quicker than Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa, who took silver. Jemima Sumgong became the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic marathon when she took gold last Sunday.
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Faith Kipyegon won gold in the women’s 1500 metres and Conselsus Kipruto continued Kenya’s domination of the men’s 3000 metres steeplechase when he won a gold medal for Kenya defeating the defending champion Ezekiel Kipkemboi a.k.a. Baba Yao. Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa took silver with a time of 2:09:54. After crossing the finish line, he flashed the “O” gesture with his hands, a nod to the University of Oregon.
Bronze medalist Lilesa crossed his arms above his head as he finished the race as a protest against the Ethiopian government’s crackdown on political dissent.
“I’m going back to Kenya to consult with my coach and plan for the future”, the new Olympic champion who is also a two-time London marathon champion said.
‘If you talk about democracy they kill you.
“I was emotionally drained after the 10K, but I got it out of the system and made a decision to have an attacking race”, Rupp, 30 said.
Rupp won the 10,000 meters silver medal in London to end an 11-Olympic drought for American runners that signaled a shift for a country that loves its sprinters.
American men won five marathon medals in the early years of the 20th century, but since 1908 there have been only four: Frank Shorter (gold in 1972, silver in 1976), Meb Keflezighi (silver, 2004) and now Rupp.
“I was about a minute down on where I wanted to be at halfway, but I knew I couldn’t push any harder than that first half”. “There’s nothing to celebrate about”.
The 30-year-old from OR looked right at home among the sport’s traditional powers Sunday, running toward the front all day and sticking in a group with Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa into the last five miles as the field fell away. Then runners started breaking away with Kipchoge, Rupp and Lilesa turning the marathon into a three-man race.
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At this point, Korir and Biwott fell back at the aid station but they were soon up and running to rejoin the leaders who filed past in the order of Berhanu, Kipchoge, Lelisa, Korir, Munyo Solomon Mutai of Uganda, Biwott, and Rupp. This is the last event in the Olympic track and field program in Rio, and the Kenyans are expecting to wrap it up with gold. I think I need a couple more years at the marathon. His first was at the Olympic trials in Los Angeles. “I am a man that believes in planning and preparation”, he said. I definitely fought it a while, just being stubborn, wanting to be a track runner. “I just kept saying, ‘All right, just hang on for that second wind'”. Shalane Flanagan finished sixth, Desiree Linden seventh and Amy Cragg ninth for the best team finish in the women’s marathon. He fled Ethiopia fearing for his safety and now lives in Luxembourg.
