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 two hours, seven minutes and three 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.
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sport
Kenya
