Simbu wins Mumbai Marathon

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s long distance runner Alphonce Simbu won the men’s full marathon event after edging out Kenyan Joshua Kipkorir in a thrilling finish at the 2017 Mumbai Marathon in India on Sunday.

Simbu, fifth at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, confirmed his rising status in the world of marathon by hitting the front with 100 metres to go and sprinting away for victory.

He clocked two hours, nine minutes and 32 seconds to clinch the gold medal while Kenya’s Kirkorir took the second spot with a time of 2:09:50 in a tough competition, according to Sportstarlive.

Following his convincing victory on a warm Sunday morning, Simbu took home a $42,000 purse (about Sh90m).

In the women’s category, Kenya’s Bornes Kitur won in the elite category with a time of 02:29:02.

Ethiopia’s Chaltu Tafa came second as she clocked 2:33:03 while her compatriot Tigist Girma bagged the bronze medal. Girma clocked 02:33:19.

Again in the women’s category, the top three runners fought hard for the top honour. At 21 km mark, all of them recorded a timing of 1:14:03.

Kitur eventually moved ahead of the other two to become victorious at the end.

In the men’s marathon, after a large group of 13 runners had passed the halfway point in 1:04:49, the pace stayed steady to 30km, as the predicted finishing time remained close 2:10:00. Seven men were still in the leading group at that point.

By 35 kilometres, Kipkorir continued to push the pace with the Tanzanian athlete resolutely staying tucked behind him all the way.

However, with two kilometres to go, Kipkorir started to look visibly tired while the slighter figure of Simbu was noticeably far more relaxed and seemingly just waiting for his moment to strike.

“I got my tactics from my coach,” said Simbu shortly after the race. “Use your brain, you don’t have to always lead,” he reflected, explaining his race plan which enable him to equal the fastest-second winning time in the history of the race.

Simbu, competed in the 2015 World Championship in Beijing before narrowly missing a medal at last year’s Rio Olympics in Brazil, said he trained in the hills in Tanzania for the marathon, which made him “perfect” for the race.

The Tanzanian runner said his pace varied throughout the race. He rued the fact that the course had corners and few “hills”.

Simbu said that all his past experiences helped him win Sunday’s race.

“I prepared well so I didn’t fear anything, whether we were running on the hills or on the flat. This course has some hills and quite a lot of turns, so I didn’t break my personal best (of2:09:19) but what was important today was my position,” said the Tanzanian marathoner.

Kenya’s Eliud Barbgetuny came third as he completed the distance in 2:10:39.