SYDNEY (AP) — Kenyan Moses Kibet claimed victory in a fast-paced Sydney marathon which saw the top three finishers all better the previous fastest time in Australia.
Kibet finished the course set around Sydney’s harbour and city center in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 3 seconds on Sunday, two seconds ahead of countryman Cosmas Matolo.
Ethiopian Chalu Deso Gemisa, the winner of the Paris marathon earlier this year, was third in 2:07:08.
The three Africans finished inside the previous record time of 2:07:50 set by Japan’s Yuta Shitara at the Gold Coast in 2019.
Ethiopia’s Tigist Girma Getachew won the women’s marathon in 2:25:10, ahead of compatriot Letebrhan Haylay Gebreslasea and Eritrea’s Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet.
Japan’s Jun Hiromichi won the men’s wheelchair marathon in 1:52.47.
The Sydney marathon is in the first year of a three-year candidacy to join cities like London, Tokyo and New York to host a World Marathon Majors event. Cape Town in South Africa and Chengdu in China are also contending to become majors.
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