Kenya s Keitany breaks world record at women-only London Marathon

London April 23 (IANS) Kenya s Mary Keitany broke the 12-year-old world record at the women-only London Marathon here on Sunday. The 35-year-old clocked 2:17:01 hours at the IAAF Gold Label Road Race taking 41 seconds off the previous mark of 2:17:42 set by Britain s Paula Radcliffe in 2005.

The 2009 world half-marathon champion set off on her own with just a pacemaker for company in the early stages passing 5km in 15:31 10km in 31:17 and half way in 1:06:54. Her pace in the first half suggested a finish time faster than the world record of 2:15:25 set by Radcliffe in a mixed marathon in 2005 reports Xinhua news agency.

At 30km she was 78 seconds ahead of second-placed three-time Olympic gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia and held on to her lead and charged down The Mall to win in 2:17:01 the second-fastest time in history.

Dibaba who overcame stomach cramps just a few kilometres from the finish finished strong to take second place in 2:17:56 moving to third on the world all-time list. Her compatriot Aselefech Mergia came third in 2:23:08.

In the men s race Kenya s Daniel Wanjiru took the title in 2:05:48 ahead of Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele (02:05:57) and London Marathon debutant Bedan Karoki of Kenya (02:07:41).

--IANS
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