Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba of Kenya emerged victorious from a three-man battle in the last kilometres to secure the title at the Shanghai Marathon on November 26.
He improved the Chinese all-comers’ record to 2:05:35.
The 25-year-old chopped nearly two minutes off his personal best of 2:07:28, set when winning the 2022 Munich Marathon, beating the course record of 2:07:14 set by compatriot Paul Lonyangata eight years ago, and smashing the Chinese all-comers’ record of 2:06:19 set by Kenya’s Moses Mosop in Xiamen in 2015.
It's the third marathon title of the year for Kipchumba, who has remained unbeaten in 2023 following victories in Hong Kong in February and Xiamen in April.
“It’s my first time in Shanghai. The course is very good and the weather for today is perfect,” said Kipchumba. “I am so grateful to win the race and to break the course record, and even China’s (all-comers’) record.”
Running under sunny but cool weather conditions, a crowded pack of about 15 runners led the men’s race to a fast pace in the early stages, hitting the 10km mark in 29:50, 15km in 44:48 and 20km in 59:55.
After the leaders passed the 25km water tables, only four runners managed to keep up with the pacer, including Kipchumba, Kenyan duo Solomon Kirwa Yego and Kenneth Keter, as well as Tanzania’s 2017 world bronze medallist Alphonce Simbu.
The pacer stepped off the course soon after the leading quartet passed 30km in 1:29:24, by which point they were already more than one minute ahead of course record pace. And the leading group kept pushing ahead.
After 38km, the 36-year-old Yego – a 2:06:24 performer and winner of the 2023 Copenhagen Marathon – was the first to make his move. Although his attempt to pull clear was in vain, Keter started to fade away. Simbu then sped up to take the pole position near 40km. But both Yego and Kipchumba managed to keep up.
The three men were neck-and-neck with just one kilometre to go, but the in-form Kipchumba waited for another 500m to launch his final charge, going on to win in 2:05:35.
Simbu – twice a top-eight finisher at the Olympic Games – trailed four seconds behind Kipchumba to take second place with a PB of 2:05:39, followed by Yego in 2:05:42.
