Uganda’s Mutai finishes 8th in RIO as Kiprotich fails to defend marathon medal in Olympics

Posted by: Kyeyune Andrew Jonathan in sports August 22, 2016

Uganda’s Mutai finishes 8th in RIO as Kiprotich fails to defend marathon medal in Olympics ending Uganda’s hope of obtaining a medal in this year’s olympics

Check also: Kenya Is The Leading African Country In Rio Olympics Medal Standings So Far

Uganda’s Solomon Mutai and Stephen Kiprotich finished 8th and 14th respectively in the men’s 42km marathon as Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge won gold in Rio on Sunday.

The duo managed top slots with Mutai setting a season best of 2:11:49. Kiprotich posted 2:13:32 in the wet and lightly rainy conditions as Jackson Kiprop managed a distant 80th in 2:22:09.

Kipchoge stormed to glory alone in the home stretch setting a record time of 2:08:44 before Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lelisa – 2:09:54 and USA’s Galen Rupp – 2:10:05.

The marathon got underway with a terrific pace as Ugandans; Mutai, Kiprop and Kiprotich fought their way to the lead, Kenyans Kipchoge and Biwott also drawing close.

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After finding their way to the top, Kipchoge, Stanley Biwott, Mutai, Kiprotich and Kiprop all shared water as they chatted amidst the race after 38:22.

Kipchoge attempted to break away from the leading group after 15 Km, but he later reunited with his Kenyan compatriots.

Defending champion Kiprotich nudged close to the front by negotiating his way from the edges after 16.7 Km but he did not reach the summit.

A few minutes later, Mutai had his time at the top when he took the mantle alongside Kiprop, who by the 19.3 Km mark had already slipped to fifth position.

Kiprotich grabbed the lead after one hour and approximately six minutes and kept the position till Kipchoge took over after ten.

Kiprotich then became the first Ugandan to break away from the leading group, just before Kiprop who also fell off.

By the 1:30:00 time mark, Mutai was the only Ugandan upfront. With 9 Km to go, leader Kipchoge threw off his hat and increased his pace.

Mutai also fell off the first group. Nevertheless he overtook strong challenger Kenya’s Stanley Biwott who succumbed to injury.

Kipchoge looked back at one moment as he passed 40km in 2:02:24 with Lelisa 36 seconds back and Rupp another 12 seconds in arrears.

Kipchoge immediately started sprinting and the gap indeed grew in the final two kilometres. He gave the thumbs up to the crowds in the stands in the Sambodromo after going round the museum.

He later crossed to earn the greatest athletics triumph of his life in the slowest marathon time of his career.

London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist and 2013 world champion Kiprotich came 14th, failing to defend his crown.

Source: Kawowo

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