Kenya’s long-distance runner Dickson Chumba on Sunday won the male category of this year’s edition of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) gold label road race in Tokyo, Japan.
Chumba won the race in a time of 2 hours, 05 minutes and 30 seconds. It is his second title after winning the Tokyo Marathon in 2015.
“Although I missed cracking 2:05, I am happy with the time. Next year, I would like to come back and run 2:04,” Chumba is quoted by iaaf.org.
Japan’s Yutta Shitara came in second in a time of 2 hours, 06 minutes and 11 seconds. Defending Champion Wilson Kipsang did not finish the race, dropping out after 15 kilometers. Other Kenyans Amos Kipruto and Gideon Kipketer finished in the 3rd and 4th positions respectively.
Iaaf.org reports that the race did not start as quickly as last year when runners covered the opening five-kilometer stretch in 14:15. They were fast, but not fast enough for the world record pace planned for Kipsang who began to drift back at the 15-kilometer water station.
About a kilometer-and-a-half later, Kipsang’s pace was reduced to a walk before he eventually dropped out.Ethiopia’s Berhane Dibaba won the female category in a time of 2:19:51.
Kenya’s only representative in the top 10 positions was Helah Kiprop who finished 5th.