Kenya’s Cyprian Kotut claimed a double in the French capital within a month when he won this year’s Paris Marathon in personal best of 2 hours, 07 minutes and 13 seconds on Sunday.
Kotut, the brother to three-time London Marathon champion Martin Lel, overtook Ethiopian Abraha Gebretsadik with three kilometres to go, pumping his pistons past the 40km mark in 2:00:34 to victory.
Defending champion Mark Korir settled second in 2:07:31 as Commonwealth Games marathon silver medallist Stephen Chemlany waylaid Gebretsadik to ensure a Kenyan podium sweep in 2:07:39.
Micah Kogo of Kenya settled fourth in 2:07:43 as Gebretsadik came in fifth in 2:08:05.
The 24-year-old Kotut was fresh from Paris Half Marathon last month in 1:01:00.
Having recorded a personal best of 59:12 for the half marathon in 2014, Kotut made his marathon debut in Milan in 2015 and finished second in 2:08:55.
Kotut became the 12th Kenya to win the race and put his case straight ahead of the national marathon team selection for Rio Olympic Games later this month after London Marathon on April 24.
“I was a bit nervous considering the big names in the field,” Kotut said. “I had prepared well but not for this victory. It’s a surprise for me. I ran well and I loved the course.”
