Kenya shows its might in marathon - Daily Nation

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Women's gold medal winner Mary Keitany, Britain's Prince Harry and men's gold medal winner Wilson Kipsang in front of Buckingham Palace after the 2012 London Marathon on April 22, 2012. Photo/AFP 

In Summary

CHRONOLOGY: Kenyan winners at London Marathon

1989: Douglas Wakiihuri (2:09.03) and Joyce Jepchumba won men's and women's races.

2000: Tegla Loroupe won.

2004: Evans Ruto and Margaret Okayo won the men's and women's races

2005: Martin Lel won his first race

2006: Felix Limo won his first race

2007: Martin Lel won the second race

2008: Martin Lel won the third race

2009: Late Samuel Wanjiru won in a course record time

2011: Emmanuel Mutai and Mary Keitany won the races in course record times as Martin Lel finished second. The win consolidated points for Mutai to bag Sh48 million World Major Marathons jackpot.

2012: Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany won 2:04.44 and 2:18.36 respectively.

The fight was a do-or-die in the race the former colonial master had billed "unofficial Kenyan Olympic trials". Read (Tanui, AK heap praise on champs)

And Kenya reaffirmed its supremacy in marathon, claiming five of the six possible podium places at Sunday's 32nd Virgin London Marathon.

A welcome party, usually marked by the traditional mursik (sour milk) fanfare, is laid out in Eldoret for the grand homecoming ceremony on Tuesday, after the stars landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and proceed to their homes in Iten.

The men's winner, Wilson Kipsang, and his wife Doreen usually take their guard of mursik to major races abroad.

In the Frankfurt Marathon late last year, Doreen stunned the German city residents when she offered mursik to her husband at the finish line, leaving then asking why she did not give him German milk.

"I believe taking the milk from my cow at home leads to victory. In our culture (Kalenjin), milk brings blessings, and I also think that our milk is better; after all, it is what I grew up with."

On Sunday, winners Kipsang and Mary Jepkosgei Keitany — who live and train in Iten — shrugged off their opponents as they pounded the streets of London.

London Marathon paraded some of the world's 42-kilometre trailblazers, which included world record holder Patrick Makau (2:03.38), second best mark holder Wilson Kipsang (2:03.42) and world championships champion (2:05.04) Abel Kirui.

World championships silver medallist Vincent Kipruto (2:05.13) and three-time London Marathon winner Martin Lel (2:05.15) were also in the battle.

Kipsang, a two-time winner of Frankfurt Marathon, trains in Iten with two-time world championships winner Abel Kirui.

Keitany, the world 21-kilometre record holder at 65.50, trains with world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, who finished second.

In the mix, was Berlin Marathon winner Florence Kiplagat who lives a short distance from Keitany.

And that counted for nothing as each athlete went all out to kill three birds with one stone — win the lucrative prize money Sh4.56 million ($55,000) and Sh8.3 million ($100,000 ) time bonus, as well as the bragging rights to the Olympic Games 42-kilometre squad.

Kipsang's manager Gerard Van de Veen of Volare Sports told the Nation by telephone from the Netherlands: "Kipsang is a determined athlete. I think he will be selected for the Olympics. And I am optimistic that he is going to break the world record in future."

Kipsang was quoted as saying after the race: "I never wanted to break the world record but to win and make the Kenyan marathon team to the Olympic Games."