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A different script was written at the London Marathon, far from anyone’s predictions or expectations.
It was Shura Kitata of Ethiopia who pulled off that impressive script when he surprised favorite and defending champion Eliud Kipchoge.
Kitata, 24, whose victory gave him his first London Marathon title, denied the Olympic champion his fifth.
Kitata, who moved to the front after traveling the 35km in a pack, edged out Kenyan Amsterdam champion Vincent Kipchumba in a final sprint to win in two hours, 05 minutes and 41 seconds.
It was a huge victory for Kitata, who finally got his revenge on Kipchoge, who edged him out to second place during the 2018 London Marathon. Kipchumba finished a second adrift.
Kipchoge finished a distant eighth in 2:06:49, his first loss since finishing second behind Wilson Kipsang during the 2013 Berlin Marathon. Kipsang won the race in a world record time of 2:03:23 when Kipchoge returned 2:04:05.
After running in a group of 10 athletes for most of the race, which was quite unusual for Kipchoge, who turned the screws before the 30km mark, an interesting scenario began to unfold after the 30km mark. 35 km.
Kitata moved forward as Kipchoge began to retreat, leaving four Ethiopians and a Kenyan Vincent Kipchumba to engage in a fierce battle.
Kitata, his compatriots Sisay Lemma, Mosinet Geremew and Mule Hasihun and Kipchumba passed through the 38km mark in 1:55:20 and 40km in 1:59:19 when Kipchoge’s reign in London seemed to have ended his dream of a fifth title in ruins.
Kipchoge had won the London Marathon four times in 2015 (2:04:42), 2016 (2:03:05), 2018 (2:04:17), 2019 (2:02:37).
The leading group passed the 10km mark in 29:45 with Kipchoge, wearing a white vest and black cap, tucked behind the three pacemakers, looking comfortable and at a steady pace.
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Kipchoge would have a word in the ear of the pace setters to improve things a bit as they progressed 15km in 44:31. At this point it was clear that it will not be a fast race in the poor conditions at St James Park. Geremew and Wasihun, among others, kept Kipchoge company.
The peloton reached the halfway point in 1:02:54 when two of the three pacemakers retired at 25km and pace was injected into the race.
Despite the fact that Kipchoge dropped his cap and gloves at the 30km mark in what perhaps marked the beginning of a real business, it is Lemma who briefly struck the front with Kipchumba in hot pursuit.
A group of nine athletes reached the 35 km mark in 1:44:14 and Kipchoge found himself dangerously in the mix and in an unknown position. Kipchoge is known to enter the field before the 30km mark.
It was then that Kitata, Geremew, Lemma and Wasihun came forward with Kipchumba in the mix. The battle was left to Kitata and Kipchumba in the final kilometer with the lanky Kenyan taking the lead. However, it is Kitata’s lively legs that will carry the day.
