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Undefeated for seven years, Eliud Kipchoge broke down late in the race and finished just eighth, with the victory for Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata after a thrilling sprint.
Kitata won in 2 h 05 min 41 s ahead of Kenya Vincent Kipchumba.
Regardless of the conditions and the opposition, Eliud Kipchoge had become used to continuing to write his legend. But for the first time in his marathon career, the Kenyan suffered a setback and was unable to overcome it.
His only loss was in Berlin in 2013, where he finished second behind compatriot Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich, who set a new world record.
The best marathon runner in history (Olympic gold, world record in 2h01: 39 in 2018 in Berlin, the two-hour barrier broken in an unofficial race in October 2019) may have felt the weight of the years when celebrating her 36th birthday in November.
Nothing went according to plan for the 40th London Marathon. The race has already been interrupted by the new coronavirus pandemic: postponed from April to October, it was run behind closed doors on an alternative course, a 2.15km circuit around St James Park, opposite Buckingham Palace.
Afterwards, everyone expected a legendary duel between the two best interpreters in history, Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele, but the Ethiopian withdrew on Friday (left calf injury) and the Kenyan broke.
First for Kitata
“I am very disappointed, I wanted to do better, but my right ear got blocked and I felt a cramp and a problem in a hip in the last 15 kilometers,” Kipchoge told the BBC. I don’t blame the conditions. “
In a race that was run mostly in the rain, with temperatures around 10 degrees, the best runners stayed together for a long time at a pace far from the world record.
Then, at kilometer 38, came the surprise: with Shura Kitata accelerating, Eliud Kipchoge let go.
With the finish line only a few feet away, Shura Kitata broke away to dominate a breathless sprint against Vincent Kipchumba and fellow countryman Sisay Lemma.
The 24-year-old Ethiopian thus achieved his first major victory after taking the first places (second in London and New York in 2018, fourth in London and fifth in New York in 2019).
“I prepared very well for this race, Kenenisa (Bekele) helped me and advised me in training,” said the winner on the BBC.
