23 Aug 2009

Kenyan takes marathon at World Championships

6:03 am on 23 August 2009

Abel Kirui won the men's marathon world title at the Athletics World Championships in Berlin in a record two hours six minutes and 54 seconds to make it three global titles in a row for Kenya.

Compatriot Emmanuel Mutai took silver in 2:07:48 with Tsegay Kebde claiming bronze for Ethiopia (2:08:35).

Having spent years winning all sorts of track long distance golds and big city marathons Kenya were mystifyingly short on marathon titles until Luke Kibet won the 2007 world championship and Sammy Wanjiru followed up with Olympic gold last year.

They went into Saturday's race with a powerful-looking team and, in relatively cool conditions after a week of hot sun, had four men in the front pack from the start.

Rwanda's Dieudonne Disi looked like offering a stiff challenge but dropped out with what looked like cramp approaching the 30km mark leaving a group of three Kenyans - Kirui, Mutai and Robert Cheruiyot, and Ethiopia's Deriba Merga alone.

Cheruiyot was then dropped, Merga followed at the 35km mark before Kirui pushed on to drop Mutai.

Kirui set a 2:05:04 personal best in Rotterdam this year - while finishing third - and drove clear to take the tape at the Brandenburg Gate almost a minute clear of his team mate.