Kipchoge wins gold, Uwiragiye comes 99th

1. Eliud Kipchoge (Ken) 2:08:44 2. Feyisa Lilesa (Eth) 2:09:543. Galen Rupp (USA) 2:10:054. Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (Eri) 2:11:045. Alphonce Felix Simbu (TZ) 2:11:1514. Stephen Kiprotich (Uga) 2:13:3299. Ambroise Uwiragiye (Rwa) 2:25:57 The pre-race overwhelming favourite Eliud Kipchoge lived to his billing by winning the Rio Olympics men’s marathon on Sunday, drawing away in the final four miles to win in 2 hours 8 minutes and 44 seconds. The 31-year-old Kenyan, who won the London Marathon in April, dominated the closing stages to claim the gold medal while Rwanda’s Ambroise Uwiringiye finished in 99th position with a time of 2 hours, 25 minutes and 57 seconds on his Olympics debut. 155 runners started the race but 140 finished. Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia took second spot in 2:09:54 and Galen Rupp of the United States won the bronze in 2:10:05, his personal best in only his second marathon, having switched from the 10,000 meters. Eriteria’s Ghirmay Ghebreslassie finished fourth posting 2:11:04 beating Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu into fifth place in a time of 2:11:15. Uganda’s defending champion Stephen Kiprotich could only manage 14th place, clocking 2:13:32. Kenya swept both marathons at the Rio Games after Jemima Sumgong won the women’s 26.2-mile race, becoming the first Kenyan woman to win a gold medal in the event. Earlier on Saturday, Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba grabbed his country the first ever medal in the Olympics after claiming silver in the women’s 800m, finishing second behind South Africa’s Castrer Semenya. Semenya decimated the field in the 800m final, capturing the gold medal in 1:55.28, a national record for her nation while Niyonsaba finished 1.21 seconds behind after a blistering final sprint to claim a silver medal. Kenya’s Margaret Nyairera Wambui took the bronze medal. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Kipchoge wins gold, Uwiragiye comes 99th